Completed Event: Women's Tennis at Northern Arizona on March 20, 2025 , Loss , 0, to, 7
W Tennis
at Northern Arizona
L 0-7
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Sunday, April 2
Kansas City, MO
10 AM
Grand Canyon
4
at
3
Missouri - Kansas City
Lopes crowned WAC Regular Season Champions with 4-3 victory over UMKC
4/2/2017 3:36:00 PM | Women's Tennis
KANSAS CITY – The GCU women's tennis team won the WAC Conference Championship on Sunday afternoon by defeating Missouri-Kansas City by a score of 4-3. The Lopes went 5-0 in league play and have now won six straight contests. Grand Canyon has a record of 11-5 this season.
"I can't say enough about these girls," head coach Greg Prudhomme praised. "They've worked hard all season and are super coachable. They really bought into the philosophy of our GCU tennis program and they emulate the great effort and the great attitude that we preach and talk about. They implemented that today against a very tough team in UMKC, and for them to get that win, they were calling upon every ounce of training, hard work, practice, and experience that they've accumulated over the season."
The Lopes got off to a good start in doubles play as Alexandra Petrzalkova and Celina Buhr earned a quick 6-1 win on Court 3. Tatum Prudhomme and Susan Baklini suffered a narrow defeat on Court 1, losing in a tiebreaker. To clinch the doubles point, Lana Rinaldi and Emilia Occhipinti won on Court 2 by a 6-2 score, putting GCU ahead 1-0 in the contest.
In singles play, Petrzalkova picked up another big win on Court 2 as she defeated Johnson by a 6-2, 6-4 score. Prudhomme found herself in a battle in the first position, needing two tiebreakers to earn the win over Ladutska. She won by scores of 7-6 (5), 2-6, 7-6 (3). Lana Rinaldi was the last Lope to be on the courts. With her 6-3, 7-6 (4) win on Court 5, GCU was able to clinch the match, and the WAC Championship.
"Our two four-year seniors, Sasha [Petrzalkova] and Tatum [Prudhomme], stepped up big," Prudhomme added. "Sasha got the first point on the board and Tatum was down 5-2 in the third set and just valiantly came back, saved two match points, and was able to win in a dramatic tiebreaker 7-6 in the third set."
Prudhomme emphasized that the win was a total team effort. The Lopes started the season against some tough competition, beginning with a 2-4 record, before turning it on in recent weeks. GCU has gone 9-1 since then, edging out close wins in the WAC conference and posting three 7-0 sweeps during the season. Assistant coach Amit Maharaj and graduate assistant Ettore Zito have been instrumental in the success of the women's program.
"The coaches were working really hard throughout our season and conference matches," Prudhomme praised. "Amit and Ettore did a great job all season."
Grand Canyon will celebrate the WAC title for the next two weeks before traveling to Honolulu, Hawaii for one final match. The Lopes will face Hawaii on Saturday, April 15 in the season finale.
Grand Canyon Women 4, Missouri-Kansas City 3
Apr 02, 2017 at Kansas City, MO (Plaza)
Singles competition
1. Tatum Prudhomme (WGCU) def. Aliona Ladutska (UMKC) 7-6 (5), 2-6, 7-6 (3)
2. Alexandra Petrzalkova (WGCU) def. Melinda Johnson (UMKC) 6-2, 6-4
3. Mariam Kurasbediani (UMKC) def. Susan Baklini (WGCU) 6-3, 2-6, 6-4
4. Yana Grechkina (UMKC) def. Celina Buhr (WGCU) 4-6, 6-4, 6-2
5. Lana Rinaldi (WGCU) def. Katie Fries (UMKC) 6-3, 7-6 (4)
6. Thanushree Vale (UMKC) def. Emilia Occhipinti (WGCU) 6-4, 7-5
Doubles competition
1. Melinda Johnson/Yana Grechkina (UMKC) def. Tatum Prudhomme/Susan Baklini (WGCU) 7-6 (5-0)
2. Lana Rinaldi/Emilia Occhipinti (WGCU) def. Thanushree Vale/Mariam Kurasbediani (UMKC) 6-2
3. Alexandra Petrzalkova/Celina Buhr (WGCU) def. Marina Albert/Aliona Ladutska (UMKC) 6-1
Match Notes
Grand Canyon Women 11-5
Missouri-Kansas City 9-8
"I can't say enough about these girls," head coach Greg Prudhomme praised. "They've worked hard all season and are super coachable. They really bought into the philosophy of our GCU tennis program and they emulate the great effort and the great attitude that we preach and talk about. They implemented that today against a very tough team in UMKC, and for them to get that win, they were calling upon every ounce of training, hard work, practice, and experience that they've accumulated over the season."
The Lopes got off to a good start in doubles play as Alexandra Petrzalkova and Celina Buhr earned a quick 6-1 win on Court 3. Tatum Prudhomme and Susan Baklini suffered a narrow defeat on Court 1, losing in a tiebreaker. To clinch the doubles point, Lana Rinaldi and Emilia Occhipinti won on Court 2 by a 6-2 score, putting GCU ahead 1-0 in the contest.
In singles play, Petrzalkova picked up another big win on Court 2 as she defeated Johnson by a 6-2, 6-4 score. Prudhomme found herself in a battle in the first position, needing two tiebreakers to earn the win over Ladutska. She won by scores of 7-6 (5), 2-6, 7-6 (3). Lana Rinaldi was the last Lope to be on the courts. With her 6-3, 7-6 (4) win on Court 5, GCU was able to clinch the match, and the WAC Championship.
"Our two four-year seniors, Sasha [Petrzalkova] and Tatum [Prudhomme], stepped up big," Prudhomme added. "Sasha got the first point on the board and Tatum was down 5-2 in the third set and just valiantly came back, saved two match points, and was able to win in a dramatic tiebreaker 7-6 in the third set."
Prudhomme emphasized that the win was a total team effort. The Lopes started the season against some tough competition, beginning with a 2-4 record, before turning it on in recent weeks. GCU has gone 9-1 since then, edging out close wins in the WAC conference and posting three 7-0 sweeps during the season. Assistant coach Amit Maharaj and graduate assistant Ettore Zito have been instrumental in the success of the women's program.
"The coaches were working really hard throughout our season and conference matches," Prudhomme praised. "Amit and Ettore did a great job all season."
Grand Canyon will celebrate the WAC title for the next two weeks before traveling to Honolulu, Hawaii for one final match. The Lopes will face Hawaii on Saturday, April 15 in the season finale.
Grand Canyon Women 4, Missouri-Kansas City 3
Apr 02, 2017 at Kansas City, MO (Plaza)
Singles competition
1. Tatum Prudhomme (WGCU) def. Aliona Ladutska (UMKC) 7-6 (5), 2-6, 7-6 (3)
2. Alexandra Petrzalkova (WGCU) def. Melinda Johnson (UMKC) 6-2, 6-4
3. Mariam Kurasbediani (UMKC) def. Susan Baklini (WGCU) 6-3, 2-6, 6-4
4. Yana Grechkina (UMKC) def. Celina Buhr (WGCU) 4-6, 6-4, 6-2
5. Lana Rinaldi (WGCU) def. Katie Fries (UMKC) 6-3, 7-6 (4)
6. Thanushree Vale (UMKC) def. Emilia Occhipinti (WGCU) 6-4, 7-5
Doubles competition
1. Melinda Johnson/Yana Grechkina (UMKC) def. Tatum Prudhomme/Susan Baklini (WGCU) 7-6 (5-0)
2. Lana Rinaldi/Emilia Occhipinti (WGCU) def. Thanushree Vale/Mariam Kurasbediani (UMKC) 6-2
3. Alexandra Petrzalkova/Celina Buhr (WGCU) def. Marina Albert/Aliona Ladutska (UMKC) 6-1
Match Notes
Grand Canyon Women 11-5
Missouri-Kansas City 9-8
Players Mentioned
/ 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