SAN RAFAEL, Calif. – It was a successful start to the 2022 season for No. 25 Academy of Art women's tennis, as ART U put on a dominant showing against Dominican by capturing the doubles points before grabbing five of six singles matches for a 6-1 victory on Friday. 

The win made it consecutive years that the Urban Knights (1-0) have captured a season opening win over the Penguins (0-1), doing so back on Feb. 13, 2021 by an identical final of 6-1, while marking the fourth straight season-opening victory overall. On a day where ART U lost just three sets in total, three different Urban Knights would snatch a pair of victories in sophomores Yun "Nicole" Shiau and Viktoria Leth, and freshman Julia Ortega. 

Earning the first victory of the day in doubles action was the duo of Leth and Ortega, as they made quick work of Dominican's Haley Garcia and Gigi Alajeely on court two, 6-2. Though the Knights would be defeated on court three, it was the No. 6 doubles duo in the nation Shiau and sophomore Sofia Ragona that would conclude doubles play with a 6-3 disposing of Gina Dudley and Audrey Rafols on court one. 

Starting singles action with a win on court three was Shiau, who easily bounced her opponent Garcia in straight sets, 6-0, 6-1. Leth followed with her singles win over Julia Rydel on court five, 6-2, 6-1, while Ortega picked up the clinching point on court four by topping Alajeely 6-4, 6-1. Grabbing the first three-set win on court two was freshman Maria Vittoria Casucci, as she came back after dropping the first set to Dudley for to win 3-6, 6-2, 6-3. Rounding out the day with the second three-set win was freshman Paulina Alvarez, grabbing her first win of the season on court six by conquering Zoe Coggins 6-0, 5-7, 6-2. 

A week will elapse before ART U returns to the court, as Fresno Pacific is next up on the schedule on Feb. 10 at 2 p.m.