Upcoming Event: Women's Tennis versus W15 Lincoln on November 3, 2025
W Tennis
vs W15 Lincoln
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Thursday, March 23
Phoenix, AZ
11 AM
Grand Canyon
6
vs
1
Idaho State
GCU celebrates Senior Day with a 6-1 win over Idaho State
3/23/2017 2:53:00 PM | Women's Tennis
PHOENIX – Every athlete wants to end their career on a high note. On Thursday morning, all four GCU women's tennis seniors ended play on their home court with a win. Seniors Tatum Prudhomme, Susan Baklini, Alexandra Petrzalkova, and Marie Deleval all picked up doubles victories to help GCU to a 6-1 win over Idaho State. Grand Canyon improves their record to 8-5 for the season.
"It's not often you get to choose how you would like Senior Day to go for the seniors from year-to-year, but today it came pretty close to how we would script it," GCU head coach Greg Prudhomme commented. "The day started with the doubles when four out of four seniors got the job done to clinch the doubles point. That was a perfect start."
Deleval and Petrzalkova partnered at No. 3 doubles for the first time this season and the result was a huge success. The pair quickly won by a score of 6-2 to gain an early advantage for GCU. After the Lopes lost on Court 2, fellow seniors Prudhomme and Baklini clinched the doubles point for GCU in a tiebreaker. They battled back to win 7-5 (3) at No. 1 and make the seniors 2-0 for the day.
In singles play, two freshmen got the Lopes started on the right track. Emilia Occhipinti won 6-4, 6-1 on Court 6 and Celina Buhr had a 6-2, 6-3 victory on Court 4. With the two wins, the Lopes led 3-0 and turned to their leader, Prudhomme, to earn the team win. She came back to win 6-0, 7-5 at No. 1 and clinched the match for GCU.
"Idaho State put up a good fight on many of the courts but the girls stayed mentally tough, especially on a really windy day, and they got the job done," Prudhomme praised. "Tatum was able to clinch and get the fourth and winning point after coming back, down 1-5, in the second set."
Baklini also picked up another victory on the day. She defeated Botes at No. 3 in three sets, winning 6-2, 2-6, 6-4. Lana Rinaldi also earned a point for GCU as she won on Court 5 by scores of 6-3, 7-5.
"Overall, it was a great day for the entire team," Prudhomme said. "The fact that is was Senior Day made it extra nice to see them all contribute and get that doubles point to start it off."
The Lopes will rest for the next week and resume WAC play on Friday, March 31 against New Mexico State. GCU is currently 2-0 in conference play and will play for a WAC title next weekend as matches with UT Rio Grande Valley and Missouri-Kansas City are scheduled for Saturday, April 1 and Sunday, April 2.
Grand Canyon Women 6, Idaho State 1
Mar 23, 2017 at Phoenix, Ariz. (GCU Tennis Facility)
Singles competition
1. Tatum Prudhomme (WGCU) def. Hristina Cvetkovic (IDST) 6-0, 7-5
2. Huibre-Mare Botes (IDST) def. Alexandra Petrzalkova (WGCU) 5-7, 6-3, 6-4
3. Susan Baklini (WGCU) def. Louise-Mare Botes (IDST) 6-2, 2-6, 6-4
4. Celina Buhr (WGCU) def. Melissa Coburn (IDST) 6-2, 6-3
5. Lana Rinaldi (WGCU) def. Megan Poe (IDST) 6-3, 7-5
6. Emilia Occhipinti (WGCU) def. Angela Walker (IDST) 6-4, 6-1
Doubles competition
1. Tatum Prudhomme/Susan Baklini (WGCU) def. Huibre-Mare Botes/Louise-Mare Botes (IDST) 7-6 (3)
2. Hristina Cvetkovic/Megan Poe (IDST) def. Lana Rinaldi/Emilia Occhipinti (WGCU) 6-3
3. Alexandra Petrzalkova/Marie Deleval (WGCU) def. Madison Fenske/Melissa Coburn (IDST) 6-2
Match Notes
Idaho State 5-9
Grand Canyon Women 8-5
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (6,4,1,5,3,2)
"It's not often you get to choose how you would like Senior Day to go for the seniors from year-to-year, but today it came pretty close to how we would script it," GCU head coach Greg Prudhomme commented. "The day started with the doubles when four out of four seniors got the job done to clinch the doubles point. That was a perfect start."
Deleval and Petrzalkova partnered at No. 3 doubles for the first time this season and the result was a huge success. The pair quickly won by a score of 6-2 to gain an early advantage for GCU. After the Lopes lost on Court 2, fellow seniors Prudhomme and Baklini clinched the doubles point for GCU in a tiebreaker. They battled back to win 7-5 (3) at No. 1 and make the seniors 2-0 for the day.
In singles play, two freshmen got the Lopes started on the right track. Emilia Occhipinti won 6-4, 6-1 on Court 6 and Celina Buhr had a 6-2, 6-3 victory on Court 4. With the two wins, the Lopes led 3-0 and turned to their leader, Prudhomme, to earn the team win. She came back to win 6-0, 7-5 at No. 1 and clinched the match for GCU.
"Idaho State put up a good fight on many of the courts but the girls stayed mentally tough, especially on a really windy day, and they got the job done," Prudhomme praised. "Tatum was able to clinch and get the fourth and winning point after coming back, down 1-5, in the second set."
Baklini also picked up another victory on the day. She defeated Botes at No. 3 in three sets, winning 6-2, 2-6, 6-4. Lana Rinaldi also earned a point for GCU as she won on Court 5 by scores of 6-3, 7-5.
"Overall, it was a great day for the entire team," Prudhomme said. "The fact that is was Senior Day made it extra nice to see them all contribute and get that doubles point to start it off."
The Lopes will rest for the next week and resume WAC play on Friday, March 31 against New Mexico State. GCU is currently 2-0 in conference play and will play for a WAC title next weekend as matches with UT Rio Grande Valley and Missouri-Kansas City are scheduled for Saturday, April 1 and Sunday, April 2.
Grand Canyon Women 6, Idaho State 1
Mar 23, 2017 at Phoenix, Ariz. (GCU Tennis Facility)
Singles competition
1. Tatum Prudhomme (WGCU) def. Hristina Cvetkovic (IDST) 6-0, 7-5
2. Huibre-Mare Botes (IDST) def. Alexandra Petrzalkova (WGCU) 5-7, 6-3, 6-4
3. Susan Baklini (WGCU) def. Louise-Mare Botes (IDST) 6-2, 2-6, 6-4
4. Celina Buhr (WGCU) def. Melissa Coburn (IDST) 6-2, 6-3
5. Lana Rinaldi (WGCU) def. Megan Poe (IDST) 6-3, 7-5
6. Emilia Occhipinti (WGCU) def. Angela Walker (IDST) 6-4, 6-1
Doubles competition
1. Tatum Prudhomme/Susan Baklini (WGCU) def. Huibre-Mare Botes/Louise-Mare Botes (IDST) 7-6 (3)
2. Hristina Cvetkovic/Megan Poe (IDST) def. Lana Rinaldi/Emilia Occhipinti (WGCU) 6-3
3. Alexandra Petrzalkova/Marie Deleval (WGCU) def. Madison Fenske/Melissa Coburn (IDST) 6-2
Match Notes
Idaho State 5-9
Grand Canyon Women 8-5
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (6,4,1,5,3,2)
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
Women's Wins the WAC Title
Monday, April 21