LA MIRADA, Calif. – Nationally-ranked teams from Biola (Calif.) defeated MSU Denver in men's and women's tennis on Thursday.
The 47
th-ranked Biola men beat No. 47 MSU Denver 6-1, while the 10
th-ranked Biola women beat the Roadrunners 7-0.
The MSU Denver men (8-2) had won five straight duals but won only at No. 6 singles, where
Andy Caruana was a 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 winner.
Jeanloup Auzias went beyond two sets at No. 1, losing 6-4, 4-6, 1-0 (11-9) and
David Kijak played a first-set tiebreaker at No. 5 before falling 7-6 (7), 6-1.
"Our guys didn't play their best today, but credit to Biola," MSU Denver coach
Josh Graetz said. "They controlled their emotions better than us. As bad as a loss feels, I think we needed this to happen now and not at the end of the season."
For the women, freshman
Ava Neuburger-Higby was impressive at No. 1 singles, pushing All-American Colbeyshae Emery to three sets before falling 6-2, 4-6, 6-1. Also going three sets were
Gala Castello at No. 3 and
Lilly Stienemeier at No. 5. And
Isabel Heras at No. 2 and
Marie Cool at No. 5 each lost in a second-set tiebreaker.
"I didn't think the ladies played their best doubles point today, but I'm super proud of the singles," Graetz said. "Even though the end result doesn't show, it was a real battle out there against a top 10 program."
