GCU ends WAC play on high note

Sunday, April 8

Seattle, Wash.

2:00 P.M.

Grand Canyon

Seattle U

Photo by: Slaven Gujic

4/8/2018 8:03:00 PM | Women's Tennis

Box Score

By: Jerob Moon

SEATTLE, Wash.—The Grand Canyon women's tennis team (7-13, 2-3) ended the final regular season contest on a high note with a 4-3 win against Seattle U (8-13, 1-4). The Lopes fought back after being down early, and clinched the win in the final singles match of the day.

"The girls finished off the conference regular season exactly how we wanted to," head coach Greg Prudhomme said. "We certainly hoped we could've won more matches, yesterday's match could have gone either way in the same fashion that it went with New Mexico State. We would've rather had those wins going into the conference tournament, but it was great to see how the girls showed their resilience and they bounced back from some very close losses."

In doubles Seattle jumped out to an early lead after taking two of the three matches. The Lopes won the first match of the doubles play, Lana Rinaldi and Emilia Occhipinti improved to 4-1 in WAC play winning 6-2 at the number one position. The Redhawks took control after that, winning the 6-2 at position two and 6-4 at position three.

GCU regrouped and competed hard in the back and forth singles competition. Occhipinti like she did in doubles, improved to 4-1 in WAC play with a straight set win at No. 3, her third in a row and is 8-2 over her last 10 matches. The Lopes took the lead with a 6-3, 6-3 win by Valentina Mokrova at No. 5 as she finished her first season of WAC play at 2-3.

Seattle U would tie the match back up at 2-2 after defeating Martina Lo Pumo at No. 2 in a hard fought three set match, 2-6, 6-2, 6-2. But the Lopes would once again take the lead with a win by senior Lana Rinaldi in her final regular season conference match. Rinaldi won at No. 1 in three sets after getting blanked in the second, 6-0, 0-6, 6-2 and finished with a 17-3 career record in WAC play.

After Seattle U won at No. 4 in tiebreakers, the back and forth match which saw three ties and lead changes, it all came down to senior Kylie Waschuk at No. 6. Waschuk fell behind early after dropping the first set, but regrouped and took the second set easily 6-1. In the third, Waschuk fell behind 4-1 early but won the final five games and grabbed the 2-6, 6-1, 6-4 win, and with it the team victory as well.

"Kylie showed what it means to be a seasoned senior" Prudhomme added. "She won a three set match despite being down 1-4 in the third set, and another one of our points came at No. 1 with Lana beating one of the best conference in three sets. It was a great performance for the two senior for their final regular season conference match."

Looking ahead the Lopes have one final regular season matchup before the WAC conference tournament begins east of campus in Mesa. Northern Arizona will roll into town on April 21, which is senior day for Rinaldi, Waschuk, as well as men's tennis player Gregoire Balenci.