Women’s Tennis: Feb. 7 Scoreboard
Southland Conference
Central Arkansas 7, Southeast Missouri State 0
McNeese State 4, Southern Mississippi 3
UIW 5, Trinity 2
Air Force 6, UIW 0
No. 63 Maryland 4, Stephen F. Austin 3
Louisiana-Monroe 4, New Orleans 3
Central Arkansas 7, Southeast Missouri State 0
CONWAY, Ark. – The Central Arkansas tennis team returned to the court on Saturday morning, playing host to Southeast Missouri State. The Bears remained perfect on the season, taking down the Redhawks 7-0.
The Bears got the day started by sweeping all three doubles matches to take a 1-0 lead. Kelsey Williams and Allison Murphy took the no. 1 match 6-2 over Mariya Kotsyuk and Vivian Ortiz, while Nataly Yoo and Cassidy Crawford defeated Kateryna Stoianova and Ann Makhneva 6-2 in the no. 2 match. Kristina Horsikyan and Bianca Strukelj completed the sweep in the no. 3 match, earning a 6-3 win over Melissa Martin and Maria Montenegro.
The Bears (3-0) dominated singles play, winning all six matches in straight sets. Yoo defeated Kotsyuk 6-2, 6-2 in the no. 1 match, and Williams took down Stoianova 6-1, 6-2 in the no. 2 match. Horsikayn took the no. 3 match 6-1, 6-0 over Makhneva, while Crawford took down Ortiz 6-1, 6-1 in the no. 4 match. In the no. 5 match, Murphy scored a 6-3, 6-2 win over Montenegro, while Strukelj took down Annisa Warasanti 6-0, 7-6 in the no. 6 match.
Central Arkansas is back in action on Monday, travelling to Jonesboro to battle Arkansas State. The match is set to begin at 1:00 pm.
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McNeese State 4, Southern Mississippi 3
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – The McNeese women’s tennis team relied on its youth as well as its veterans as the Cowgirls upended a previously unbeaten Southern Mississippi squad 4-3 on Saturday at the USM Tennis Courts.
“Today was a great match for us,” said head coach Helena Besovic. “We stayed focused the entire time, fought hard on all courts and really came together as a team. Southern Miss was a tough team to beat, especially on their home court but we showed how mentally strong we are.”
Senior Klaudia Gawlik picked up her first singles victory of the season that proved to be essential in McNeese's (1-3) win over USM (4-1) while freshman Hannah Brett’s singles win helped to secure the match for McNeese. Sophomore Julia Kral improved to 3-1 in singles action on the season as she scored the match-winning point.
McNeese secured the early point with wins at the No. 2 and No. 3 doubles positions. Vivien Borbely and Andreea Nenu took a 6-2 decision in the No. 3 spot over Karina Gurgenyan and Elena Roca before the team of Brett and Kral clinched the point with a 6-4 victory over Claudia Castella and Lisa Schneider in the No. 2 position.
In singles action, Southern Miss tied the match up with a 6-1, 6-3 decision on Court 4 as USM’s Alex Kitchen defeated Borbely. Gawlik responded for the Cowgirls in the No. 1 position defeating Lisa Schneider 6-3, 6-1. The lead switched back to the Golden Eagles after Elena Roca defeated Nenu 6-1, 6-2 in the sixth position.
The match was set for a dramatic finish with the final three positions closely moving to three sets. The Cowgirls gained the advantage early as Brett took a 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 match from Castella on Court 3 while Kral secured the match on Court 6 as she took down Carolin Drescher 1-6, 6-2, 6-4. USM gained the final point with a Gurgenyan victory over Trubich in the fifth spot 6-4, 5-6, 10-7.
McNeese will complete its six-match road swing with a match at Tulane on Sunday beginning at 9 a.m. The Cowgirls will then return home for three-straight matches beginning with UTA on Friday, Feb. 20 at 2 p.m.
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UIW 5, Trinity 2
Air Force 6, UIW 0
SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The University of the Incarnate Word women's tennis team split their home opener at the Mabry Tennis Center on Saturday. They dropped the first match of the day against Air Force 6-0, but came back to earn their first win of the season, 5-2 against Trinity University.
In the morning fixture, the Falcons came out strong in the doubles competition and earned the first point of the day after Lily Forlini and Mary Meyers defeated Sarah Savedra and Taryn Strahl, 6-2 at the #2 position. Carley Hatcliff and Chloe Forlini defeated Malisa Vatanadilok and Antea Dedic, 6-3 at #3.
The Cardinals (1-5) were unable to get a point back in the singles competition and dropped all six singles games in straight sets.
After a short break, the team was back in action later in the afternoon and played host to local rival Trinity University. UIW rallied to turn things around for their second match and started by taking the doubles point.
The #1 duo of Rachel Sadiq and Matea Zemunik defeated Liza Southwick and Marie Lutz, 6-4 and at #2 Sarah Savedra and Maria Batchinsky won 6-3 against Cheyenne Duncan and Blaire Porter.
In singles, UIW fought hard to get the three points they needed and went on to win four out of the six matches. Savedra and Batchinsky won in straight sets at #3 and #6.
For the Tigers, Lutz and Porter won their matches at #2 and #4 singles, putting the Cardinals ahead by only one point. Left to either Sadiq or Dedic, the match was decided after Dedic won 1-6, 6-0, 6-2 against Caroline White. Sadiq went on to defeat Southwick in a close 5-7, 6-3, 10-7 victory.
Coach Devin Wilke said, "I am really proud of this team, the way they have battled all year. To start the year with the difficult road schedule that we had, the results didn't always match the effort and work they put in. I am glad to see them trust the process and get this well-deserved win."
The Cardinals are back in action next weekend and stay in San Antonio to play St. Mary's University at the Rohrbach Stadium on Friday at 12 p.m.
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No. 63 Maryland 4, Stephen F. Austin 3
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The Stephen F. Austin women’s tennis team was unable to knock off No. 63 Maryland in a 4-3 loss on Saturday afternoon at the Schlief Tennis Complex.
“I am very proud of the way we competed today,” head coach Roberto Aspillaga said. “The girls got themselves in a situation to win against a very good Maryland team. We are looking stronger every match and we are happy with the process.”
The Terrapins (2-2) picked up 6-1 and 6-3 wins in No. 1 and No. 2 doubles to claim the opening point.
Ladyjacks (2-2) Malena Gordo and freshman Vivienne Kulicke picked up 6-4, 6-4 and 6-1, 7-5 wins in No. 1 and No. 3 singles, respectfully. Sophomore Macarena Sedano Acosta rounded out the wins for SFA with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Olga Gaistruk in No. 6 singles.
The Ladyjacks will have a quick turnaround, retaking the court on Sunday, Feb. 7, against Texas State. The match is set to begin 11 p.m.
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Louisiana-Monroe 4, New Orleans 3
MONROE, La. – The New Orleans Privateers women’s tennis team (3-2) were defeated for the second consecutive year by a 4-3 margin at the hands of the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks (4-0) on Saturday at Heard Stadium.
The Privateers opened the match by sweeping the 1 and 3 matches in doubles to win the first point. Soledad Calderon Arroyo returned to action and along with Marta Sans, defeated Anandi Botha and Amy Olivier of Louisiana-Monroe 6-2. Yasmine Rashad and Hafsa Laraibi helped secure the doubles point with a 6-4 victory at the 3 position.
The Warhawks turned the tide though, winning singles matches at the top three positions with two of them finishing in straight sets putting the pressure back on the Privateers. Anna Segarra Rius delivered a 6-4, 6-4 win at the 4 spot and Rashad coasted to a 6-1, 6-1 decision at the 5 position.
However, Laraibi was dealt her first loss in singles on the spring. After winning the first set 6-4 against Letha Gaigher, Laraibi dropped the second set by the same score line. Gaigher took the third and final set 7-5 to polish off the win and keep the Warhawks’ record without a blemish.
The Privateers will return home to face Jackson State on Friday. The match is scheduled for a 2 p.m. start.
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