COLUMBUS - In search of the program's third straight trip to the NCAA Championship semifinals, the 10th-ranked and fourth-seeded Columbus State University women's tennis team will play 14th-ranked and fifth-seeded Hawaii Pacific University on Wednesday.
The national quarterfinal match will be at noon at the Surprise Tennis & Racquet Complex in Surprise, Ariz.
Columbus State (16-4) battled its way through the NCAA Southeast Regional to claim the program's eighth straight title last week in Dahlonega, Ga. In the title match against eighth-ranked Flagler College, the Lady Cougars had to rally in singles play to upset the Saints 4-2 after dropping the doubles point. The backend of the lineup got the job done for head coach
Evan Isaacs with
Valentina Abrile (fourth),
Agostina Bigotti (fifth) and
Yelena Labat (sixth) all recording wins in the match. All-Peach Belt Conference selection and 36th-ranked
Candice Paya also won second singles against FC.
Abrile is a roll for CSU as the freshman carries a 17-match winning streak into the match against HPU. After dropping the first match of her career, the Córdoba, Argentina native, has been unbeatable, including holding a perfect 4-0 mark in postseason play so far.
Beatriz Lopez, the 2021 PBC Player of the Year, is 13-4 at the number one position, while Paya is 7-1 with a 6-0 mark at number two singles. All-American
Luise Sachs was named an All-PBC selection earlier in the month and is 13-5 as a singles player.
Overall, CSU has a .679 winning percentage in doubles play, with Sachs and
Amanda Citre leading the team with 14 wins. The duo holds down the third doubles position and is 8-2 over their last 10 matches. Lopez and Paya are 9-3 on the year and ranked ninth in the nation as a tandem, while Abrile and
Sara Ramirez Goncalves have gone 13-4 in the second spot.
After losing twice to Azusa Pacific earlier this season, Hawaii Pacific (9-3) got revenge over its conference rival to win the NCAA West Regional championship. It's the fifth straight season HPU has advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals and ninth time under head coach Lauren Conching.
The Sharks are strong at the top of their singles lineup with 11th-ranked Marleen Tilgner and 17th-ranked Elodie Busson holding 9-0 and 10-1 records, respectively. In doubles play, Tilgner and Mihoki Miyahara are 6-2 and ranked 22nd in the nation at the top spot. The duo recorded a top-10 victory over APU's top duo in the regional final.
Wednesday's meeting will be the second time Columbus State and Hawaii Pacific have matched up in the national quarterfinal round. The Sharks won the first meeting in 2014 and are 3-0 against the Lady Cougars over the past decade. The two sides last met during the 2020 ITA National Indoor Championship with HPU claiming a tight 4-3 win.
The winner of the quarterfinal match will advance to play either the top-ranked and top-seeded University of Indianapolis and eighth-seeded St. Mary's University in the semifinals on Thursday.
