Photos

MOBILE, Ala. -- The sixth-ranked Sea Lions were dealt a 5-2 upset loss by No. 11 Lindsey Wilson (KY) Wednesday morning in the second round of the NAIA National Championship Tournament held at the Mobile Tennis Center. The loss bounces the Sea Lions from nationals and ends the team's year at 16-6.

The Blue Raiders (17-3) took two of three doubles matches and then triumphed at No. 1, 3 and 4 singles to clinch a spot in the quarterfinals.

Jessica Kwan was the lone Sea Lions to triumph in singles. The PLNU duo of Sharon Reibstein and Wileen Chiu earned the other team point in doubles.

Doubles began the morning's competition. Lindsey Wilson claimed the first point on court one where Trina Slapeka and Slavica Milanovic defeated Maika Adair and Hope Penner 8-4. Courts two and three had the same 8-6 score with the Blue Raider pairing of Diana Gerlakh and Laura Vergara topping Kwan and Kiersten Steinhauer, while Chiu and Reibstein of PLNU defeated Anna Gaprindashvili and Rocio Cardo on three.

Singles followed and PLNU Coach Rich Hills had to make some tough decisions because Steinhauer was under the weather and Reibstein was slowed by a sore wrist. Hills inserted Preetika Venogopal on court five and Katelyn Abayan on court six and moved Chiu up from six to four.

Kwan easily beat Gerlakh 6-1, 6-1 on court two. But Adair lost to Slapeka 6-0, 6-1 on one and Hope Penner fell on three to Milanovic 6-4, 6-3. Up on courts 4-6, the Blue Raiders needed just one more point for the team win. That came on four where Chiu lost for the first time in dual match this season, 7-6, 6-2, to Vergara.

Starting with the second round, play is halted after one team gathers in the five points necessary for a team victory. This meant that Venogopal and Abayan's matches are officially unfinished.

“I am really proud of their effort,” said Hills of his team. “We had unfortunate timing with our players getting ill. I don't want to make excuses, Lindsey Wilson played well, but when you lose your two and five players it's hard to win at this level. It's a tough loss, though.”

It was the first time in 13 years that a Point Loma team lost its first match at the NAIA Championships. It was also the last time that PLNU will compete in the event since the program is moving out of the NAIA to the NCAA DII as a member of the Pacific West Conference, along with current Golden State Athletic Conference rivals Fresno Pacific and Azusa Pacific. 

#11 Lindsey Wilson 5, #6 Point Loma Nazarene 2
05/16/12 at Mobile, Ala. (Mobile Tennis Center)