No. 1 seed Pacific defeated No. 5 seed UC Irvine 4-2 in the semifinals of the Big West Women's Tennis Championship at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden on Saturday. The Tigers advance to their first championship match since the 2000 season.

The Anteaters picked up the doubles point after victories at the No. 2 and No. 3 spots. Becky Bernhard and Hui Leow knocked off Natalia Kostenko and Viktoria Szendrei 8-5 to clinch the point and gain the early advantage for UCI. Jessica Broadfoot and Izabela Mijic defeated Katharina Trumpf and Anja Herrmann 8-2.

UCI looked to be in great shape when No. 123 Anna Bentzer toppled No. 110 Vana Mrazovic 6-2, 6-2, giving the Anteaters a 2-0 lead. However, the Tigers rebounded with a win from Kostenko at No. 2, a 6-3, 6-2 decision over Mijic. Pacific then captured wins at the bottom three spots in the lineup. Herrmann defeated Bernhard 6-1, 7-6 (4) at No. 5 and Viktoria Szendrei overcame Jayme Hu 6-3, 7-6 (4). The Tigers clinched the contest at the No. 4 spot, as Trumpf won a marathon match over Inna Agababian 7-5, 7-6 (7).

The Tigers improved to 19-5 on the season with the win. They play defending Big West champion Long Beach State for the title on Sunday at 12:00 p.m. The Anteaters, which fell to 13-10 with the loss, face UC Santa Barbara for third place on Sunday at 12:00 p.m.

Pacific (4) vs. UC Irvine (2)
Saturday, April 23, 2005
Indian Wells Tennis Garden - Indian Wells, CA
DOUBLES
1. Mrazovic/Heil (PAC) vs. Agababian/Bentzer (UCI)	DNF
2. Bernhard/Leow (UCI) def. Kostenko/Szendrei (PAC)	8-5
3. Broadfoot/Mijic (UCI) def. Trumpf/Hermann (PAC)	8-2
SINGLES
1. Anna Bentzer (UCI) def. Vana Mrazovic (PAC)	6-2, 6-2
2. Natalia Kostenko (PAC) def. Izabela Mijic (UCI)	6-3, 6-2
3. Katharina Heil (PAC) vs. Hui Leow (UCI)	DNF
4. Katharina Trumpf (PAC) def. Inna Agababian (UCI)	7-5, 7-6 (7)
5. Anja Herrmann (PAC) def. Becky Bernhard (UCI)	6-1, 7-6 (4)
6. Viktoria Szendrei (PAC) def. Jayme Hu (UCI)	6-3, 7-6 (4)