SEATTLE - (Jan. 19) The Seattle University women’s tennis team battled in their 2018 season opening match, before slightly falling to the University of South Dakota 4-3 on Friday night at the Tennis Center at Sand Point.
The Redhawks started off on the right foot, taking the doubles points with two big wins. Michelle Lui and Kelli Woodman got the momentum started with a 6-0 win on the first court. After South Dakota took the match on court two, Hannah Gianan and Kali McCollister were forced to win their match for the doubles point, and they did just that. They took care of business and won on court three 6-4 to give SU the much needed doubles point.
Needing just three singles’ wins for the match, SU looked terrific at the beginning of singles. Kyra Jung and Woodman won their individual matches 6-4, 6-4, and 6-0, 6-0, respectively, giving the Redhawks a 3-0 lead with four matches remaining. But South Dakota wasn’t going down easily. They needed all four remaining matches, and were able to overcome the early deficit to win all four matches for the 4-3 come-from-behind win on the road.
In just the first match of the season, the Redhawks played well and head coach, Adam Reeb felt great about their performance despite the loss.
“Tonight was an amazing opening match and no one deserved to lose,” said coach Reeb. ”I’m super proud of our team and the way they battled. Everyone left everything they had out there.”
Reeb and the Redhawks will continue the 2018 season with another home match this Sunday against Eastern Washington at the Tennis Center at Sand Point at 10:30 a.m.
“We’ll be ready to get after it again on Sunday against Eastern Washington. This is an amazing group and they are very resilient and we’ll just keep working.”
Tennis Match Results
South Dakota vs Seattle U
Jan 20, 2018 at Seattle, WA
(Tennis Center at Sand Point)
South Dakota 4, Seattle U 3
Singles competition
1. Lazarevic,Jana (SD) def. Lui, Michelle (SU) 7-6, 6-2
2. Kollarova,Barbara (SD) def. Gianan, Hannah (SU) 3-6, 6-0, 6-2
3. Jung, Kyra (SU) def. Aly,Habiba (SD) 6-4, 6-4
4. Woodman, Kelli (SU) def. Stancia,Luana (SD) 6-0, 6-0
5. Bondarenko,Anastasi (SD) def. McCollister, Kali (SU) 6-3, 6-7, 6-4
6. Chemodanova,Aria (SD) def. Scott, Audrey (SU) 4-6, 6-2, 6-4
Doubles competition
1. Lui, Michelle/Woodman, Kelli (SU) def. Bondarenko,Anastasi/Chemodanova,Aria (SD) 6-0
2. Lazarevic,Jana/Nylund,Nanette (SD) def. Jung, Kyra/Lily-Ana Kreutzer (SU) 6-1
3. Gianan, Hannah/McCollister, Kali (SU) def. Kollarova,Barbara/Stancia,Luana (SD) 6-4
Match Notes:
South Dakota 1-0
Seattle U 0-1
Order of Finish:
Doubles - 1, 2, 3
Singles - 4, 3, 1, 2, 6, 5