May 15, 2007

MOBILE, Ala. - Savannah Art & Design (Ga.) knocked off Brenau (Ga.) to mark its spot as the only unseeded team remaining in the 2007 NAIA Women's Tennis Championship, moving into quarterfinal play which gets underway Wednesday in Mobile.

No. 1 Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) was one of seven seeded teams to earn a trip to the quarters, gliding past Lewis-Clark State (Idaho), 7-0. Vanguard (Calif.) also made its way into the quarters, rattling off five-straight wins after dropping a doubles match to win 5-1 over Southern Nazarene (Okla.).

In a battle of Bluegrass State squads, Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) advanced with a 5-0 shut-out of Union (Ky.), while Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) opened its tournament run with a 6-0 shut-out of Lindenwood (Mo.). Azusa Pacific (Calif.) also managed to win by blanking its opponent, topping Region II rival Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.), 5-0 in afternoon competition.

Fresno Pacific (Calif.) became the fifth winner by shut-out when the Sun Birds knocked off Oklahoma Christian 6-0, but the day's most exciting match belonged to Berry (Ga.) and Embry-Riddle (Fla.), as the Vikings used a pair of doubles wins and three wins in the first three spots of singles competition to beat the Eagles 5-4 and earn a date in the quarterfinals.

Action resumes at the Mobile Tennis Center Wednesday, and fans can follow all of the quarterfinal action online at www.naia.org.