Upcoming Event: Women's Tennis versus W35 Las Vegas on October 5, 2026
W Tennis
vs W35 Las Vegas
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Sunday, March 19
Las Cruces, NM
9 AM
Grand Canyon
6
vs
1
Seattle U
Lopes defeat Seattle, move to 2-0 in the WAC
3/19/2017 12:04:00β―PM | Women's Tennis
LAS CRUCES, NM β The GCU women's tennis team remained unbeaten in WAC play this season with a convincing 6-1 win over Seattle U on Sunday morning. The Lopes improved to 7-5 with the win and are leading the WAC with a 2-0 record.
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"The girls played one of their best matches of the season today," head coach Greg Prudhomme praised. "Seattle has been having a good year so we expected a tough match. Sure enough, the doubles could have swung either direction but we stayed really tough."
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Doubles competition was extremely competitive between Seattle and GCU. The Lopes earned a quick win at No. 2 as Lana Rinaldi and Emilia Occhipinti won by a 6-1 score. On Court 3, Alexandra Petrzalkova and Celina Buhr grinded out a 7-6 (9-7) tiebreaker to earn the doubles point for GCU and gain the quick team advantage.
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In singles play, Occhipinti earned her eleventh straight win on Court 6. The freshman has gone undefeated so far this season and continued her streak with a 6-0, 6-4 win. Fellow freshman Buhr has put together a winning streak of her own. Buhr won her seventh straight match, all at No. 4, by scores of 6-3, 6-0. The two freshmen have the best individual singles records on the team so far this season.
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At No. 2, Petrzalkova edged out another close win, winning a tiebreaker to the take victory 7-5, 6-3. Susan Baklini won 6-2, 6-4 on Court 2 and Rinaldi was victorious on Court 5, winning 6-1, 6-3 to round out the GCU victors.
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"We had a lot of close sets coming out of the singles but the girls didn't flinch, they stayed tough mentally and physically, and got the job done," Prudhomme added. "6-1 was a convincing score against a good team so we'll get home and build on that momentum for the next round of matches."
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The Lopes will next be in action on Thursday, March 23 against Idaho State. The Bengals will travel to Phoenix for one mid-week matchup beginning at 11 a.m.
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Grand Canyon Women 6, Seattle U 1
Mar 19, 2017 at Las Cruces, NM
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Singles competition
1. Lui, Michelle (SU) def. Tatum Prudhomme (WGCU) 6-1, 6-2
2. Alexandra Petrzalkova (WGCU) def. Maloney, Madison (SU) 7-5, 6-3
3. Susan Baklini (WGCU) def. Carey, Barbara (SU) 6-2, 6-4
4. Celina Buhr (WGCU) def. McCollister, Kali (SU) 6-3, 6-0
5. Lana Rinaldi (WGCU) def. Maltby, Caroline (SU) 6-1, 6-3
6. Emilia Occhipinti (WGCU) def. Scott, Audrey (SU) 6-0, 6-4
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Doubles competition
1. Lui, Michelle/Maloney, Madison (SU) def. Tatum Prudhomme/Susan Baklini (WGCU) 7-5
2. Lana Rinaldi/Emilia Occhipinti (WGCU) def. Carey, Barbara/McCollister, Kali (SU) 6-1
3. Alexandra Petrzalkova/Celina Buhr (WGCU) def. Maltby, Caroline/Skjonsby, Kailyn (SU) 7-6 (9-7)
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Match Notes
Seattle U 7-10
Grand Canyon Women 7-5
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"The girls played one of their best matches of the season today," head coach Greg Prudhomme praised. "Seattle has been having a good year so we expected a tough match. Sure enough, the doubles could have swung either direction but we stayed really tough."
Β
Doubles competition was extremely competitive between Seattle and GCU. The Lopes earned a quick win at No. 2 as Lana Rinaldi and Emilia Occhipinti won by a 6-1 score. On Court 3, Alexandra Petrzalkova and Celina Buhr grinded out a 7-6 (9-7) tiebreaker to earn the doubles point for GCU and gain the quick team advantage.
Β
In singles play, Occhipinti earned her eleventh straight win on Court 6. The freshman has gone undefeated so far this season and continued her streak with a 6-0, 6-4 win. Fellow freshman Buhr has put together a winning streak of her own. Buhr won her seventh straight match, all at No. 4, by scores of 6-3, 6-0. The two freshmen have the best individual singles records on the team so far this season.
Β
At No. 2, Petrzalkova edged out another close win, winning a tiebreaker to the take victory 7-5, 6-3. Susan Baklini won 6-2, 6-4 on Court 2 and Rinaldi was victorious on Court 5, winning 6-1, 6-3 to round out the GCU victors.
Β
"We had a lot of close sets coming out of the singles but the girls didn't flinch, they stayed tough mentally and physically, and got the job done," Prudhomme added. "6-1 was a convincing score against a good team so we'll get home and build on that momentum for the next round of matches."
Β
The Lopes will next be in action on Thursday, March 23 against Idaho State. The Bengals will travel to Phoenix for one mid-week matchup beginning at 11 a.m.
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Grand Canyon Women 6, Seattle U 1
Mar 19, 2017 at Las Cruces, NM
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Singles competition
1. Lui, Michelle (SU) def. Tatum Prudhomme (WGCU) 6-1, 6-2
2. Alexandra Petrzalkova (WGCU) def. Maloney, Madison (SU) 7-5, 6-3
3. Susan Baklini (WGCU) def. Carey, Barbara (SU) 6-2, 6-4
4. Celina Buhr (WGCU) def. McCollister, Kali (SU) 6-3, 6-0
5. Lana Rinaldi (WGCU) def. Maltby, Caroline (SU) 6-1, 6-3
6. Emilia Occhipinti (WGCU) def. Scott, Audrey (SU) 6-0, 6-4
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Doubles competition
1. Lui, Michelle/Maloney, Madison (SU) def. Tatum Prudhomme/Susan Baklini (WGCU) 7-5
2. Lana Rinaldi/Emilia Occhipinti (WGCU) def. Carey, Barbara/McCollister, Kali (SU) 6-1
3. Alexandra Petrzalkova/Celina Buhr (WGCU) def. Maltby, Caroline/Skjonsby, Kailyn (SU) 7-6 (9-7)
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Match Notes
Seattle U 7-10
Grand Canyon Women 7-5
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Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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