2016 PacWest Women's Tennis Championship Central

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Jensyn Warren overcame a 6-3 loss in the first set to upset 18th-ranked Natalie Johnson with epic come-from-behind 7-5 wins in the second and third sets to lift the 24th-ranked Sonoma State women's tennis team to a thrilling 5-4 victory over 14th-ranked Azusa Pacific in the quarterfinal round of the 2016 PacWest Women's Tennis Championships Thursday in Surprise, Ariz. 

In fact, the Seawolves (16-6) rallied from a 3-1 deficit in the match to stun the Cougars (14-7) and, in turn, secured themselves a spot in their first-ever semifinal of the PacWest Championships.  Sonoma will face ninth-ranked and No. 2 seed Hawaii Pacific on Friday at 9:00 am for the right to compete in the conference championship match on Saturday against either No. 1 seed, and the top-ranked team in the nation, BYU-Hawaii or No. 4 seed and 35th-ranked Cal State L.A.

It got started in doubles play when Azusa Pacific got wins at No. 1 (8-3) and No. 3 (8-6), but the Seawolf duo of Amanda Zuidema and Hillary Fazekas outlasted Lilit Vardanyan and Kara Hinton, 9-7, at No. 2 to cut the deficit in half at 2-1 heading into singles action.  It would prove to be a huge win for the Seawolves down the stretch.

The Cougars, who knocked off the Seawolves 6-3 earlier this year down in Azusa, seemed to have taken control after Jackie Resler defeated Karlee Budge (6-4, 6-2) at No. 5 to put APU up 3-1 in the match.  Katherine Long closed the gap with a 7-5, 6-2 victory at No. 6, then Jordyn Kearney finished off her opponent at No. 2 with a 6-2, 7-5 win to even the match a 3-3.  At No. 3, Kaitlyn Haithcock split the first two sets with APU's Valeriia Kashina, but Kashina held on for a 7-6 (7-5) win in the third-set tiebreaker to put Azusa Pacific up 4-3 and one point away from clinching the match.

Zuidema, who dropped her first set 6-3, stormed back for convincing 6-3 and 6-2 wins in the final two sets to again even the match at 4-4, placing all eyes on the battle at No. 1 between Warren and Johnson.

With temperatures in the Arizona desert creeping into the mid 80s by early afternoon, fatigue would play a factor late in the match for both players who engaged themselves in a tight, back-and-forth battle for several hours.  Warren, who lost to Johnson in straight sets (6-2, 6-2) back on Mar. 14th, suffered a 6-3 loss in the opening set, but grinded out a 7-5 win in the second set to force the third set. 

Johnson, listed at No. 18 in the most recent Oracle/ITA Division II National Singles rankings, took a 5-3 lead in the tiebreaker, needing just one more point to clinch the match.  However, Warren rallied for four unanswered points to stun Johnson and the Cougars with a 7-5 win and the match victory.

Warren improved to 2-0 this year against nationally-ranked opponents, she defeated UC San Diego's Kyra Scott at home on Mar. 27th; Scott was the 31st-ranked singles player in Division II.

Sonoma State will battle with No. 9 Hawaii Pacific in the PacWest semifinals on Friday at 9:00 am.  The Seawolves have never beaten the Sharks in six previous meetings, the last being a 6-0 loss in Hawaii on Feb. 14, 2015.

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#24 Sonoma State 5, #14 Azusa Pacific 4
Apr 14, 2016 at Surprise, AZ (Surprise Tennis & Racquet Center)

Singles competition
1. Jensyn Warren (SSU) def. #18 Natalie Johnson (APU) 3-6, 7-5, 7-5
2. Jordyn Kearney (SSU) def. Lisa Schneider (APU) 6-2, 7-5
3. Valeriia Kashina (APU) def. Kaitlyn Haithcock (SSU) 6-1, 2-6, 7-6 (7-5)
4. Amanda Zuidema (SSU) def. Lilit Vardanyan (APU) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
5. Jackie Resler (APU) def. Karlee Budge (SSU) 6-4, 6-2
6. Katherine Long (SSU) def. Lindsey Yeom (APU) 7-5, 6-2

Doubles competition
1. Natalie Johnson/Lisa Schneider (APU) def. Jensyn Warren/Jordyn Kearney (SSU) 8-3
2. Amanda Zuidema/Hillary Fazekas (SSU) def. Lilit Vardanyan/Kara Hinton (APU) 9-7
3. Valeriia Kashina/Jackie Resler (APU) def. Kaitlyn Haithcock/Katherine Long (SSU) 8-6

Match Notes
Sonoma State 16-6; National ranking #24; Regional ranking #5
Azusa Pacific 14-7; National ranking #14; Regional ranking #3
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (5,6,2,3,4,1)
PacWest Championships -- Quarterfinal