Match ResultsSAN RAFAEL, Calif. — Getting back to where they want to be will be a tough task, but the Academy of Art University women's tennis team made it all look easy Saturday when it opened its season with a 9-0 sweep over Dominican University of California at the Castellucci Family Tennis Center.
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The Urban Knights (1-0) are looking to make it back to the NCAA Division II West Regional at season's end, a tournament they made an appearance in for the first time in program history last season. Competition in the West is no slouch with nine Pacific West Conference teams ranked among the preseason top-30, including No. 14 ART U, but Saturday was smooth sailing.
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The only real challenge the Knights faced was at No. 1 singles, where senior
Nina Gajdosikova, ranked No. 43 in the nation, faced Dominican's Rickmae Torres, ranked No. 36. Torres took the first set from Gajdosikova 6-2, but the ART U veteran returned the favor with a 6-1 victory in set No. 2.
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Gajdosikova found herself down again, however, in the deciding tiebreaker, facing a 6-1 deficit in a race to 10 points. But she stormed back, outscoring Torres 10-3 over the next 13 points to win the tiebreaker and the match, 11-9.
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It was the second time during the day that Gajdosikova had defeated Torres after she teamed with sophomore
Annika Schneider to win the No. 1 doubles match 8-1. Senior
Jenny Johansson and junior
Lucia Zavarcikova won the No. 2 doubles match 8-4 while senior
Kinga Kurczbuch and junior
Michelle Dandik Zaale paired to win 8-0 at No. 3 doubles, giving ART U an early 3-0 lead.
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Johansson cruised over Dominican's Mackenzie Flanagan 6-0. 6-0, at No. 6 singles. Schneider also dominated in her No. 3 singles match, beating Chloe Vicari 6-1, 6-0. Zavarcikova (No. 2, 6-3, 6-1), freshman
Dorota Markowska (No. 4, 6-2, 6-2) and Dandik Zaale (No. 5, 6-3, 6-1) also all won in singles.
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The Urban Knights face another North Bay PacWest foe Friday when they travel to No. 23 Sonoma State.
