BOX SCORE

SAN RAFAEL, Calif. – It wasn't the David versus Goliath match-up Irina Morozova and Gaby Verspieren were expecting on Thursday, but their resulting upset win sure felt that big by proportion.

Morozova and Verspieren, the No. 1 doubles team for Dominican University of California, stunned the top doubles team of the No. 1 ranked Intercollegiate Tennis Association team in the country in NCAA Division II in the quarterfinals of the Pacific West Conference Championships at Marin Tennis Club. The Lady Penguins tandem defeated BYU-Hawaii's Marietta Tuionetoa and Tanja Rebholz, who entered the tournament with a combined record of 33-2 in singles this season.

“It hasn't really sunk in. It's like 'What just happened?'” Verspieren said.

“For Dominican and for tennis, it's just great,” Morozova said.

“It's a historic win for the Dominican program,” said PacWest Commissioner Bob Hogue. “It shows the growth in PacWest tennis.”

Tuionetoa and Rebholz were chosen No. 1 doubles for the day by Seasiders' coach Dave Porter, who elected to rest his top three players –  No. 1 ranked I-Hsuan “Annie” Hwang,  her doubles partner Sherri Liu and Yuan Jia – in the quarterfinals. It didn't matter to Dominican.

“Everybody knows they're good. They're all good,” Morozova said. “When you compete at such a high level and you beat them … it puts you on such a high.”

With superior depth, BYU-Hawaii prevailed, beating the eighth-seeded Lady Penguins 5-1. The nine-time national champions are now 24-0 this season and 485-8 in dual matches in the past 16 years. They will face No.4  seeded Academy of Art  in the semifinals on Friday at 12:30 on Courts 1 and 8-12 at the MTC at 12:30 p.m.

Dominican (2-11) will take on fifth-seeded Chaminade in a consolation bracket match at 3:00 p.m. on Friday on MTC courts 2-7.

The Lady Penguins' effort against BYU-Hawaii was a marked improvement from last year when Dominican won only three games in the five quarterfinal matches the Lady Penguins played against the Seasiders in the PacWest Championships on BYU-Hawaii's home courts in Laie.

“It's exciting. Hopefully it's another sign that we're going in the right direction with the program,” said Head Coach Greg Kennett, who said the No. 1 doubles win was the biggest victory in his two years as head coach. “It's fun for the girls.”

Morozova and Verspieren set the tone of the Lady Penguins' push in doubles, though they had some anxious moments. After dropping the first game, Dominican's No. 1 doubles team won six of the next seven. They were sailing along when Tuionetoa and Rebholz rallied and shifted the momentum. Morozova and Verspieren had a break point to go ahead 7-4 but lost the game then were a point from being broken after Verspieren double faulted.

But, one point from being tied at 6-6, Verspieren delivered a clutch ace then produced a forehand winner lob from the baseline that allowed Dominican to recapture the momentum and win the game to go in front 7-5.

After the BYU-Hawaii's No. 1 doubles team held serve, Morozova had the opportunity to serve for the match. But the Lady Penguins lost the first two points, giving the Seasiders hope. Dominican won the next two then Morozova responded by winning the biggest point of the match
from the baseline following a long rally.

“That was it. That was the point of the match,” said Assistant Coach Alex Poorta.

When Dominican closed out the match and won the final point, Morozova wasn't sure how to react.

“I didn't know what the score was,” she said. “I don't like to know the score but there were so many times I wanted to ask [Gaby], but I didn't want to ask her.”

However, when Verspieren raised her arms in victory, Morozova realized they had won.

Morozova's and Verspieren's doubles triumph followed an impressive effort by a pair of their teammates. Dominican's No. 3 doubles team of senior Jamie Fernandez and freshman Jobeth Pascual trailed in their match against BYU-Hawaii's Sophia Simmons and Kaylin Bristol, yet  rallied to tie their match at 5-5. But Pascual, who sprained her left ankle earlier in the week, was unable to hold serve with a chance to take lead and the Seasiders won out 8-5.

This year's PacWest Championships will conclude on Saturday with the championship finals beginning at 1:00 p.m. at Marin Tennis Center with first- and third-place matches after the consolation bracket seventh- and fifth-place matches are contested at Terra Linda High School beginning at 9:00 a.m.