SURPRISE, Ariz. – Redshirt junior Tristan Da Lio (Casablanca/Academie des Hauts de Nimes) and junior Vladimir Gnilozubov (Kazakhstan, Astana/Kazakhstan) came oh so close to advancing to the championship match of the Oracle Cup, but were edged by Azusa Pacific. The Mustang duo then came back strong to take out Southwest Baptist in the third-place match.  

Da Lio and Gnilozubov went toe-to-toe with Fran and Engel from Azusa Pacific, but fell just short, 3-6, 6-7. Having dropped the first set, the teams went back-and-forth on serve throughout the second set and eventually leading to the tiebreaker. Azusa Pacific jumped out to a 6-3 lead, but the Mustangs fought back to within a point at 6-5 before dropping the tiebreaker at 7-5. Da Lio and Gnilozubov were strong on their second serve percentage posting an 88 percent point rate making 23-26. They also saved 10-12 break points (83) and had three aces. 

In the other semifinal match, Peyrot and Dumont from West Florida cruised to a 6-1, 6-3 win against Agoston and Agoston from Southwest Baptist. That means West Florida faced Azusa Pacific in the championship and WNMU went against Southwest Baptist. 

 In the third-place match, WNMU was able to win a tightly contested opening set that went to a tiebreaker that saw the Mustangs take the set. They then rode the momentum into the second set for the 6-4 victory to claim third. 

This concludes the fall action for the Mustangs, as they will now get set for the spring campaign.