WKU Tennis sweeps weekend doubleheader – WNKY

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – WKU Women’s Tennis set a new record for the longest home winning streak in program history by sweeping a doubleheader with Tennessee State on Saturday at the Warren County Tennis Facility at Michael O. Buchanon Park.

The Lady Toppers picked up their seventh and eighth home wins in a row by downing the Tigers 7-0 and 4-0 in the two matches. WKU is now 9-1 at home this season and 12-7 overall.

“I thought we played well in singles and doubles. Both were very decisive,” WKU Head Coach Greg Davis said. “I’m very happy we were able to get a lot of matches. Everybody today was able to get some matches in singles and doubles, which we wanted to do. That’s a big part of our strength this year – our depth. We want to make sure throughout the season we’re all getting work at some point, that way when emergencies arrive that can happen throughout a season – especially a long season – you’ve got people who have experience previously in previous years as well as during the season so they can step right in and contribute.

“We had some very good performances. I’m very happy. Sayda (Hernandez) had some really good performances today in singles and in doubles. I’m really happy with how our doubles are starting to progress and our depth seems to be getting better by each match. Very tough teams coming in next week. North Alabama on Thursday is going to be a very, very difficult match. It’s one of those matches where it doesn’t matter what the teams’ records are, it’s been a dog fight every single year I’ve been here, so we expect their best coming in here on Thursday.”

WKU started off the day by sweeping TSU 7-0 outside at the Warren County Tennis Facility. The Lady Toppers picked up the doubles points by winning in the No. 2 and No. 3 positions. Samantha Martinez and Mariana Zegada defeated Franka Sindicic and Francisca Gomez-Weiss 6-1, and Sofia Blanco and Hernandez defeated Jovana Nikolic and Natalie Walsh 6-1.

In singles during the first match, Paola Cortez defeated Louise Ratiu 6-3, 6-2; Blanco defeated Sindicic 6-2, 6-2; Rachel Hermanova defeated Aroa Arrieta Castillo 6-3, 6-1; Hernandez defeated Nikolic 6-1, 6-2; Anna-Marie Kopecka defeated Walsh 6-4, 6-1; and Zegada defeated Taylor Ellis 6-0, 6-0.

“(The home record is) amazing,” Kopecka said. “I think it shows that we’ve been working so hard in the fall and this whole semester. We’ve been working really hard on the court and off the court as well. We just have fun with each other and we like to play at home and defend our courts. We just like to have fun with it and enjoy it.”

The second match took place inside at the Warren County Tennis Facility, where the Lady Toppers cruised to a 4-0 win. WKU took the doubles point with victories from Martinez and Zegada in the No. 2 position and Hermanova and Sunskrithi Damera in the No. 3 position. Martinez and Zegada defeated Perri Howard and Walsh 6-1, while Hermanova and Damera defeated Arrieta Castillo and Daniela Koleva 6-1.

In singles, Hernandez defeated Howard 6-2, 6-0; Martinez defeated Koleva 6-0, 6-1; and Damera defeated Claudia Murdasanu 6-1, 6-0 to claim the 4-0 victory.

“Being home, I think we just wanted to play our best and make every moment worth it because we know our season is coming to an end soon, so every match we’re just taking it as another opportunity to get better for conference and to better ourselves as individuals,” Hernandez said.

The Lady Toppers will be back in action at home on Thursday, April 4, with matches against North Alabama and Kentucky Wesleyan. The match against North Alabama is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. CT and the match against Kentucky Wesleyan is scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. CT start.

Final Results
Match One
Singles (Order of finish: 6, 2, 4, 1, 3, 5)
Paola Cortez (WKU) def. Louise Ratiu (TSU) 6-3, 6-2
Sofia Blanco (WKU) def. Franka Sindicic (TSU) 6-2, 6-2
Rachel Hermanova (WKU) def. Aroa Arrieta Castillo (TSU) 6-3, 6-1
Sayda Hernandez (WKU) def. Jovana Nikolic (TSU) 6-1, 6-2
Anna-Marie Kopecka (WKU) def. Natalie Walsh (TSU) 6-4, 6-1
Mariana Zegada (WKU) def. Taylor Ellis (TSU) 6-0, 6-0
Doubles (Order of finish: 2, 3)
Paola Cortez/Anna-Marie Kopecka (WKU) vs. Perri Howard/Aroa Arrieta Castillo (TSU) 4-3, unfinished
Samantha Martinez/Mariana Zegada (WKU) def. Franka Sindicic/Francisca Gomez-Weiss (TSU) 6-1
Sofia Blanco/Sayda Hernandez (WKU) def. Jovana Nikolic/Natalie Walsh (TSU) 6-1
Match Two
Singles (Order of finish: 5, 3, 6)
Sofia Blanco (WKU) vs. Aroa Arrieta Castillo (TSU) 6-2, 4-1, unfinished
Rachel Hermanova (WKU) vs.Francisca Gomez-Weis (TSU) 6-2, 3-0, unfinished
Sayda Hernandez (WKU) def. Perri Howard (TSU) 6-2, 6-0
Mariana Zegada (WKU) vs. Natalie Walsh (TSU) 6-2, 5-0, unfinished
Samantha Martinez (WKU) def. Daniela Koleva (TSU) 6-0, 6-1
Sunskrithi Damera (WKU) def. Claudia Murdasanu (TSU) 6-1, 6-0
Doubles (Order of finish: 2, 3)
Paola Cortez/Anna-Marie Kopecka (WKU) vs. Franka Sindicic/Francisca Gomez-Weis (TSU) 5-1, unfinished
Samantha Martinez/Mariana Zegada (WKU) def. Perri Howard/Natalie Walsh (TSU)) 6-1
Rachel Hermanova/Sunskrithi Damera (WKU) def. Aroa Arrieta Castillo/Daniela Koleva (TSU) 6-1