SEATTLE – Seattle U women's tennis closed out their weekend with a tough fight against no. 14 Washington, as ranked by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA). Despite a number of impressive efforts in singles, the Redhawks ultimately finished with a team score of 0-7 against one of the country's best squads.
Sophomore Aranza Alvarez-Sanabria hugely impressed for Seattle U, taking Washington's Abbey Watanabe to three sets in a 1-6, 7-6 (7-4), 0-1 (7-10) heartbreaker in the number six singles slot.
"Aranza put in a great fight and really dug in deep for the comeback," said Assistant Coach Sonam Phuntsok. "Her performance was a big morale-booster for the team."
Junior Hannah Gianan put in a solid performance of her own against Natsuho Arakawa of Washington, finishing 4-6, 2-6. In the number three match, classmate Kyra Jung took on the nation's 88th-ranked player in Katarina Kopcalic, finishing strong in a 1-6, 3-6 battle. Senior Peggy Rooke also faced a ranked player, no. 102 Vanessa Wong, in her match, which finished 0-6, 2-6; meanwhile, talented freshman Jade Lancaster posted a 0-6, 1-6 final against the Huskies' Zoey Weil and sophomore Jillian Rasmussen (0-6, 0-6) rounded out the group against Sedona Gallagher of Washington.
In doubles play, sophomores Martina Asciuto and Hannah Grossman squared off against Weil and partner Nika Zupancic, winning two games to the Washington duo's six. Rooke and Lancaster also partnered up for Seattle U, finishing their match with a score of 1-6 against Kopcalic and Gallagher.
"Playing a ranked team like this was tough," said Phuntsok. "We're still young… it was good experience for us."
Next, Seattle U heads across the state to Pullman, Wash., for a match against the Washington State Cougars on Saturday, Jan. 18. Play will begin at 5:00 p.m. PT.
Seattle U vs. Washington
January 12, 2020 at Seattle, Wash.
(Lloyd Nordstrom Tennis Center)
#14 Washington 7, Seattle U 0
Singles competition
#102 Wong, Vanessa (UW) def. Rooke, Peggy (SU) 6-0, 6-2
Arakawa, Natsuho (UW) def. Gianan, Hannah (SU) 6-4, 6-2
#88 Kopcalic, Katarina (UW) def. Jung, Kyra (SU) 6-1, 6-3
Gallagher, Sedona (UW) def. Rasmussen, Jillian (SU) 6-0, 6-0
Weil, Zoey (UW) def. Lancaster, Jade (SU) 6-0, 6-1
Watanabe, Abbey (UW) def. Alvarez-Sanabria, Aranza (SU) 6-1, 6-7 (4-7), 1-0 (10-7)
Doubles competition
Wong, Vanessa/Arakawa, Natsuho (UW) vs. Gianan, Hannah/Rasmussen, Jillian (SU) 5-3, DNF
Kopcalic, Katarina/Gallagher, Sedona (UW) def. Rooke, Peggy/Lancaster, Jade (SU) 6-1
Zupancic, Nika/Weil, Zoey (UW) def. Asciuto, Martina/Grossman, Hannah (SU) 6-2
Match Notes:
Seattle U 0-2, 0-0 WAC
Washington 3-0, 0-0 Pac-12
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3); Singles (4,5,1,3,2,6)
Sophomore Aranza Alvarez-Sanabria hugely impressed for Seattle U, taking Washington's Abbey Watanabe to three sets in a 1-6, 7-6 (7-4), 0-1 (7-10) heartbreaker in the number six singles slot.
"Aranza put in a great fight and really dug in deep for the comeback," said Assistant Coach Sonam Phuntsok. "Her performance was a big morale-booster for the team."
Junior Hannah Gianan put in a solid performance of her own against Natsuho Arakawa of Washington, finishing 4-6, 2-6. In the number three match, classmate Kyra Jung took on the nation's 88th-ranked player in Katarina Kopcalic, finishing strong in a 1-6, 3-6 battle. Senior Peggy Rooke also faced a ranked player, no. 102 Vanessa Wong, in her match, which finished 0-6, 2-6; meanwhile, talented freshman Jade Lancaster posted a 0-6, 1-6 final against the Huskies' Zoey Weil and sophomore Jillian Rasmussen (0-6, 0-6) rounded out the group against Sedona Gallagher of Washington.
In doubles play, sophomores Martina Asciuto and Hannah Grossman squared off against Weil and partner Nika Zupancic, winning two games to the Washington duo's six. Rooke and Lancaster also partnered up for Seattle U, finishing their match with a score of 1-6 against Kopcalic and Gallagher.
"Playing a ranked team like this was tough," said Phuntsok. "We're still young… it was good experience for us."
Next, Seattle U heads across the state to Pullman, Wash., for a match against the Washington State Cougars on Saturday, Jan. 18. Play will begin at 5:00 p.m. PT.
Seattle U vs. Washington
January 12, 2020 at Seattle, Wash.
(Lloyd Nordstrom Tennis Center)
#14 Washington 7, Seattle U 0
Singles competition
#102 Wong, Vanessa (UW) def. Rooke, Peggy (SU) 6-0, 6-2
Arakawa, Natsuho (UW) def. Gianan, Hannah (SU) 6-4, 6-2
#88 Kopcalic, Katarina (UW) def. Jung, Kyra (SU) 6-1, 6-3
Gallagher, Sedona (UW) def. Rasmussen, Jillian (SU) 6-0, 6-0
Weil, Zoey (UW) def. Lancaster, Jade (SU) 6-0, 6-1
Watanabe, Abbey (UW) def. Alvarez-Sanabria, Aranza (SU) 6-1, 6-7 (4-7), 1-0 (10-7)
Doubles competition
Wong, Vanessa/Arakawa, Natsuho (UW) vs. Gianan, Hannah/Rasmussen, Jillian (SU) 5-3, DNF
Kopcalic, Katarina/Gallagher, Sedona (UW) def. Rooke, Peggy/Lancaster, Jade (SU) 6-1
Zupancic, Nika/Weil, Zoey (UW) def. Asciuto, Martina/Grossman, Hannah (SU) 6-2
Match Notes:
Seattle U 0-2, 0-0 WAC
Washington 3-0, 0-0 Pac-12
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3); Singles (4,5,1,3,2,6)