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Mann fist pump
Steven Guersch
3
Fresno Pacific FPU-WT (3-3)
4
Winner Biola University BU-WT (7-1)
Fresno Pacific FPU-WT
(3-3)
3
Final
4
Biola University BU-WT
(7-1)
Winner

Match Recap: Women's Tennis | | Ethan McGarvey, Sports Information Director

The Mighty Mann

Alexandria Mann provided a clutch singles win to defeat the Fresno Pacific Sunbirds on Friday.

LA MIRADA --- A battle of two top-tier programs ensued on Friday afternoon at the Biola Tennis Center. Each and every match mattered on the way to a 4-3 finish in favor of the Biola Eagles. The hosting Eagles capped off the win over Fresno Pacific with a singles victory from standout freshman Alexandria Mann.

Reigning PacWest Player of the Week, Mann, was in the clinching position on Friday, as the Eagles and Sunbirds were knotted at 3-3. The freshman took the lead in the third set at 3-2 and never looked back. Despite the pressure, Mann pushed forward for a 6-3 win in the third set, giving Biola the winning fourth point.

"She stepped up, huge," said head coach David Goodman about Mann. "She has saved some of these matches for us and for a freshman it's pretty rare that you can just plug them into the middle of the lineup and win matches, let alone the ones that are the deciding point."

The clutch performance from the Eagles squad came against an FPU team that received votes in the latest ITA DII National Poll. Biola has also earned national recognition as the No. 25 team in the nation.

The Eagles disturbed the waters early on with wins on courts one and three in doubles play. Colbeyshae Emery and Mary Brascia gave BU the edge with a 6-2 win, before Ines Diaz and Gaby Carvajal joined forces in a 6-3 triumph. The opening point for BU shook the visiting Sunbirds and caused FPU to regroup and refocus between the doubles and singles play.

Brooke Fager came to play on Friday afternoon. The junior was rockin' and rollin' from the No. 5 spot, putting the tennis ball anywhere she wanted on the court. The one-sided affair (6-1, 6-1) was the first to finish in singles play and gave Biola a 2-0 advantage. 

Fresno Pacific responded on court No. 2 with its own straight-set win. Lea Falentin needed a tiebreaker in set number two to take down Brascia to put FPU on the board.

The remaining four singles matches all needed three sets to decide a winner. Court four came to a conclusion next with big swings in action between Lilly McNeill and Alice Marques. McNeill was the first to strike with a 6-2 set one but Marques answered with a dominant 6-0 set number two. The final set was tightly contested at 3-2, before the BU talent landed three-straight games to close out the match. 

With the 3-1 edge, BU needed just one more point but the grind was not done. The final three matches were testaments to both teams' determination and fight.

Court No. 6 concluded next, as Fresno Pacific closed the gap with a 6-0 third set. The No. 1 and No. 3 matches lengthened the match with two dramatic battles, including a juggernaut fight between Emery and Maria Borodii. The BU star won the first set but fell in the second, leading to the third and final set.  Emery opened up a 5-4 lead and was just a couple of points away from ending the match. Unfortunately for BU, Borodii put together an incredible effort to escape the near loss and scored three-straight games to capture FPU's third point.

Enter Mann. The freshman came through for the Eagles just minutes later to secure the 4-3 victory.

"I think we have shown consistency by showing up every day, doing the right things and preparing for the matches. I think the girls know what to expect each match and that the best will be required from them to win," added Goodman.

BU will be right back to competitive play on Saturday at the Biola Tennis Center with a matchup against Point Loma at 2:00 pm.
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