The Auburn University - Montgomery Men's and Women's tennis teams captured NAIA National Championships at the Mobile Tennis Center in Mobile, AL this past week. It was the sixth national championship for the men's team and the seventh for the women's team in program history.
The second-seeded Auburn University - Montgomery men defeated top-seeded Azusa Pacific University (CA), 5-0, for the title. AUM enjoyed a 3-0 lead after the doubles round and clinched the championship by sweeping the singles. In the singles matches, third-seed Victor Sanakai Papi defeated Azusa Pacific’s David Goodman 6-2, 6-3 and sixth-seed Alex Petropolous beat Art Fatkiev 6-2, 6-1.
AUM’s head coach Anuk Christiansz also received the NAIA Men’s Tennis Coach of the Year award for leading the team to a 24-1 season record.
The AUM women headed into the tournament as the top seed and defeated second-seeded Fresno Pacific University (CA), 5-1.
The Senator women battled to take all three doubles matches. A 9-7 win by AUM’s Nadia Lysak and Aina Rafolomantisiatosika over Fresno Pacific’s Jelena Pandzic and Amandine Ferot at the no. 1 spot and another doubles win at no. 2 by Khady Berthe and Natalie Sienkob inched them closer to the title. Although Pandzic defeated Rafolomantisiatosika, 6-1, 6-1, at the no.1 singles spot, Lysak and Rachel Dunlavy walked away with singles victories, sealing AUM's third consecutive NAIA national championship.
Boasting a 31-1 record, women’s head coach Scott Kidd was named the NAIA Women's Tennis National Coach of the Year.
Men’s Team Scores
Singles
#1 - Daniel Plasa (AUM) vs. Boris Bakalov (APU), 7-6, 2-0
#2 - Anton Brykalin (AUM) vs. Patrick Kur (APU), 6-4, 0-1
#3 - Victor Sanakai Papi (AUM) def. David Goodman (APU), 6-2, 6-3
#4 - Joel Kusnierz (AUM) vs. Tom Jelsma (APU), 6-3, 5-2 DNF
#5 - Nikola Miskovic (AUM) vs. Cole Billings (APU), 3-6, 2-3
#6 - Alex Petropoulis (AUM) def. Art Fatkiev (APU), 6-2, 6-1
Doubles
#1 - Victor Sanakaipapi/Nikola Miskovic (AUM) def. Patrick Kur/Art Fafkeiv (APU), 8-4
#2 - Daniel Plasa/Joel Kusnierz (AUM) def. Boris Bakalov/Tom Jelsma (APU), 8-5
#3 - Anton Brykalin/Tim Mudrick (AUM) def. David Goodman/Cole Billings (APU), 9-8 (8)
Women’s Team Scores
Singles
#1 - Jelena Pandzic (FPU) def. Aina Rafolomanotsiatoseka (AUM), 6-1, 6-1
#2 - Khady Berthe (AUM) vs. Angie Minova (FPU), 6-2, 4-3 DNF
#3 - Natalie Sienkob (AUM) vs. Anna Karavayeva (FPU), 7-6 (5), 3-0 DNF
#4 - Nadia Lysak (AUM) def. Megan Hanner (FPU), 6-4, 6-2
#5 - Yudeshnee Pillay (AUM) vs. Amandine Ferot (FPU), 6-4, 3-0 DNF
#6 - Rachel Dunlavy (AUM) def. Janelle Jackson (FPU), 6-1, 6-1
Doubles
#1 - Nadia Lysak/Aina Rafolomantsiatosika (AUM) def. Jelena Pandzic/Amandine Ferot (FPU), 9-7
#2 - Khady Berthe/Natalie Sienkob (AUM) def. Angie Minova/Anna Karavayeva (FPU), 8-4
#3 - Yudeshree Pillay/Rachel Donlavy (AUM) def. Megan Hanner/Meghan Scott (FPU), 8-6