SURPRISE, ARIZ. -- Cal State LA's women's tennis team wrapped up an exciting week of tennis at the PacWest Championships on Saturday with another riveting battle against a top-ranked national opponent.

The Golden Eagles jumped out to a 2-1 lead after doubles, but couldn't hold on in a hard-fought 5-3 loss to No. 11 Academy of Art on Saturday in the PacWest Conference third-place match at the Surprise Tennis & Racquet Complex. No. 23 Cal State LA (13-8) finished fourth in the conference for a third straight year.

The Golden Eagles certainly made their presence felt in the tournament. Cal State LA opened the tourney on Thursday with a five-hour, 5-4 victory over No. 21 Azusa Pacific in the quarterfinals. The Golden Eagles followed that up by taking a stunning 2-1 lead on No. 1 BYU-Hawaii before ultimately falling, 5-2, on Friday.

Then, on Saturday, the Golden Eagles threw another big scare at a higher-ranked opponents. For the third straight day, Cal State LA took a 2-1 lead after doubles. Iris Raileanu and Isabella Lopez upended Annika Schneider and Taisiia Andrieieva, 9-7, at No. 2 doubles and Elizaveta Sokolova and Luciana Di Laura edged Monika Stanikova and Paula Alcantara, 9-7, at No. 3 doubles.

The Golden Eagles later grabbed a 3-2 lead after a win by Kayleigh Hall at No. 2 singles, 6-4, 6-0, over Schneider, but Academy of Art took the next three singles contests to wrap up the match. Raileanu's match at No. 4 singles went unfinished after she was in the midst of a strong comeback in the second set after dropping the first.

Nozomi Matsuoka had an outstanding match at No. 1 singles before dropping a 6-4, 6-4 decision to Monika Stanikova.

Cal State LA finished the 2017 season with its most wins since also winning 13 in 2012.

#11 Academy of Art 5, #23 Cal State LA 3
Apr 22, 2017 at Surprise, Ariz.

Singles competition

1. #11 Monika Stanikova (AAU) def. Nozomi Matsuoka (CSLA) 6-4, 6-4

2. Kayleigh Hall (CSLA) def. Annika Schneider (AAU) 6-4, 6-0

3. Klara Thell-Lenntorp (AAU) def. Elizaveta Sokolova (CSLA) 6-3, 6-4

4. Maria Andrisani (AAU) vs. Iris Raileanu (CSLA) 6-2, 3-3, unfinished

5. Alma Thell-Lenntorp (AAU) def. Luciana Di Laura (CSLA) 6-1, 6-2

6. Paula Alcantara (AAU) def. Isabella Lopez (CSLA) 6-2, 6-3

 

Doubles competition

1. #2 Alma Thell-Lenntorp/Klara Thell-Lenntorp (AAU) def. #4 Nozomi Matsuoka/Kayleigh Hall (CSLA) 8-3

2. Iris Raileanu/Isabella Lopez (CSLA) def. Annika Schneider/Taisiia Andrieieva (AAU) 9-7

3. Elizaveta Sokolova/Luciana Di Laura (CSLA) def. Monika Stanikova/Paula Alcantara (AAU) 9-7

Match Notes

Cal State LA 13-8; National ranking #23

Academy of Art 17-4; National ranking #11

Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (6,2,5,3,1)

PacWest Conference Championship Third Place Match

Official: Bob Berrettini T-4:10 A-25