Box Score

San Francisco, CA – Academy of Art University Women's Tennis delivered a dominant debut Tuesday afternoon as the Urban Knights topped #10 Fresno Pacific 8-1 at the San Francisco Tennis Club. In Beth Daub's first victory with the program and as a head coach, ART U swept through doubles 3-0 then proceeded to win five singles matches all in straight sets.

"I couldn't be more proud of our girls," Coach Daub said. "I think they stepped up to the challenge and they came to play. That's all we can ask. If they leave everything out on the court, I'm a happy coach."

The Knights got off to a strong start with all three doubles pairs taking care of business. In the top position, Nina Gajdosikova and Daniela Amelunge Antelo put away #17 Petra Jurova and Alison Carre 8-4 while Lucia Zavarcikova and Jenny Johansson outlasted Angelika Sobiecka and Laure-Anne Josso 8-6 at number two. Michelle Dandik Zaale and Annika Schneider handled Matilda Ackered and Megan Lee to the tune of an 8-1 win in #3 doubles.

Shifting to singles play after a quick break, Academy of Art felt the Sunbirds initially push back, but the Knights will to win was simply too great. Though Jurova, #14 in the country in the preseason rankings, defeated Gajdosikova 6-1, 6-2 at number one, the remainder of the singles matches went the way of ART U.

At number two singles, Zavarcikova defeated Sobiecka 6-2, 6-3 while Dandik Zaale finished off Josso 6-3, 6-2 at number three. Schneider made short work of Ackered 6-1, 6-1 in her own collegiate singles debut at four and Amelunge Antelo got off to a strong start in her senior campaign by topping Megan Lee 6-2, 6-0 at five. Finally, in the sixth singles position, Johansson got ahead early and held on for a 6-0, 6-4 victory.

"We came out strong in doubles and that's what I wanted them to do," Coach Daub said. "Lots of energy in doubles really gets a team going. I think we need to do the same in singles. We started a little slow in singles, maybe a little nervous, but they turned it around and came back."

Academy of Art next heads to Glendale, AZ for a pair of neutral site contests as part of the annual Paseo Tournament. First up is fellow PacWest member Chaminade on Thursday, Feb. 13 followed by Western New Mexico on Friday, Feb. 14.