Completed Event: Women's Tennis at Boise State on March 20, 2026 , Loss , 0, to, 4
W Tennis
at Boise State
L 0-4
Grand Canyon University Athletics
GCU handles its own with wins over Division I EWU
3/25/2009 9:00:26 PM | Women's Tennis
Stephanie Haldeman wanted to talk about her picture running in the paper next week. But first there was something more important -- a match to win.
Haldeman, Grand Canyon University's sophomore No. 1 singles player, did just that in beating NCAA Division I Marie Demerath of Eastern Washington University, 6-7 (7-1), 7-5, 10-5 Wednesday at Paseo Racquet Center. It followed up an impressive win a day earlier that warranted attention for the soccer-turned-tennis dame.
"That's a huge win for her," Antelopes 33-year-old No. 5 singles hitter Mandy Prudhomme said of her teammate. "She's got it in her. It takes a lot more energy to stay focused at No. 1."
Haldeman did that. As did Prudhomme, who frustrated her No. 5 opponent Kasie King, 7-5, 6-3 in the Lopes other singles win against the Big Sky opponent.
"She labeled me," said Prudhomme (pictured). "She probably had it in her head we, being Division II ... I think I surprised her. I saw frustration early on."
Haldeman and Prudhomme's wins against higher level opponents are a testament as to the direction this women's tennis program is headed at GCU. The Lopes lost the match, 7-2, but made strides in so many other ways. For one, they stayed poised against a team that rattled itself out of points. And matches.
"It's easy for prima donnas to be bread," Grand Canyon coach Greg Prudhomme said. "I won't accept that on my team. I'm happy that, once again, the women are breeding that personality and living that philosophy. You get 100 percent effort and a great attitude. A and E. The girls have consistently brought that to the court in our wins and losses."
GCU's Tatiana Sumenkova pushed EWU's Judy Liening to a 6-2, 6-4 loss at No. 6 singles. Sumenkova led in the second set before Liening rallied to win. But more than the result, Prudhomme pushes this theory of attitude first and the results will come.
That's the approach Mandy Prudhomme assumed.
"I think the difference was intense focus," she said. "I tried to never lose focus, never lose sight. If my opponent is short on focus, that's another area I can attack. She was a good player."
As it turned out, so were Prudhomme and Haldeman.
Women's Wins the WAC Title
Monday, April 21