Bolivar, Mo. - For the first time since 2008, the Southwest Baptist University women's tennis team has advanced to the Round of 16 at the NCAA Women's Tennis Championships. The Bearcats defeated Augustana on Monday afternoon 5-1.

The Bearcats quickly took a 2-0 lead when the doubles team of Fanni Varga/Christina Zentai and Mehak Singh/Andjela Panovski both posted wins. Augustana would take the final doubles set to put SBU up 2-1 heading into the singles matches.

Christina Zentai quickly gave SBU a 3-1 lead with a victory in #3 singles. Andjela Panovksi and Faiga Schmidt sealed the victory for the Bearcats with wins in #6 and #5 singles.

SBU will now advance to Surprise, Arizona for the Final 16, with play set to begin on Wednesday, May 8. The Bearcats will take on Indiana (Pa) on Wednesday, May 8 at 2:00 p.m.

#35 Southwest Baptist 5, Augustana (SD) 1

Singles

1. Fanni Varga (SBU) vs. Katie Jesperson (AC) 7-5, 2-0 unfinished
2. Mehak Singh (SBU) vs. Jessa Richards (AC) 6-1, 6-5 unfinished
3. Christina Zentai (SBU) def. Michelle Wadas (AC) 6-0, 6-2
4. Hannah Gebauer (AC) vs. Adrienn Kovacs (SBU) 6-4, 0-0 unfinished
5. Faiga Schmidt (SBU) def. Heather Sullivan (AC) 6-0, 6-4
6. Andjela Panovski (SBU) def. Jenna Helleberg (AC) 6-0, 7-5

Doubles

1. Varga/Zentai (SBU) def. Jesperson/Wadas (AC) 8-0
2. Richards/Gebauer (AC) def. Kovacs/Schmidt (SBU) 8-5
3. Singh/Panovski (SBU) def. Sullivan/Helleberg (AC) 8-2