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
2017-18 season wrap-up
5/16/2018 3:41:00 PM | Women's Tennis
PHOENIX—The Grand Canyon women's tennis team enjoyed a successful 2017-18 season. The team filled with young players, four freshman were in the starting lineup for most of the season, showed the ability to adjust to the college level and provided the team with quality matches. The team won eight matches over the season, along with an appearance in the semifinals of the WAC conference tournament.
In the fall season the Lopes played in five different tournaments, including hosting the GCU Invitational at the Paseo Racquet Center. The Lopes found success at all five tournaments, at the first event senior Kylie Waschuk won a singles consolation bracket championship in San Diego. At the Long Beach State Invite, Waschuk finished runner-up in a singles flight, and six different Lopes won matches over the course of the tournament. Martina Lo Pumo advanced to the round of 32 at the ITA Southwest Regional, Lana Rinaldi won a singles championship at the GCU Invite, and Rinaldi and Occhipinti won a doubles championship at UNLV.
In January, the Lopes began the regular season with a comeback win against Souther Utah, the clinching match was won by newcomer Valentina Mokrova who had only one practice with the team before the match. After the win a trio of freshman, Mokrova, Lo Pumo, and Autum Prudhomme were all named WAC Players of the Week.
After dropping two straight matches since the win against the Thunderbirds, the team responded with a three match winning streak on the road against Detroit Mercy, UC Irvine, and UC Riverside. Lo Pumo and Waschuk led the team winning all three singles matches from the No. 1 and No. 6 positions.
Unfortunately the Lopes would face more tough opponents and lose eight of the next nine matches, but the one win was a historic win 4-2 against San Diego State. Playing in Honolulu, the Lopes earned their first ever win against the Aztecs, with Rinaldi clinching the win with a three set thriller.
The team had confidence heading into the conference season thanks to being voted by the coaches as the favorites to win the regular season title. They proved the coaches right in the first match, defeating Chicago State 7-0. But the Lopes faltered losing the next three matches, but bookend the conference slate with a 4-3 win against Seattle U.
Before the conference tournament started three Lopes were named to the All-WAC teams. Waschuk was named First Team All-WAC singles, Occhipinti was named Second Team All-WAC singles, and Rinaldi and Occhipinti earned First Team All-WAC doubles. The team also earned seven WAC Player of the Week awards throughout hte season.
The Lopes earned the fourth seed in the conference tournament and advanced to the semfinals with a 4-1 win against Chicago State. Facing top-seeded UTRGV the Lopes began the match strong winning the doubles point and took a 3-2 lead and were on the doorstep of going to the finals. But the Vaqueros came back and took the final two singles matches to pull out a 4-3 win, ending the Lopes season in the semifinals. Rinaldi and Occhipinti individually went 2-0 in singles and teamed up in doubles and won both matchups and were named to the All-Tournament team.
The Lopes will have a couple of big shoes to fill next season with the Rinaldi and Waschuk graduating. But the bright side is next season the Lopes will have no seniors on the squad which will allow for even more development to take place with the younger players and the returners will have a chance to step into leadership roles that can last for multiple seasons.
In the fall season the Lopes played in five different tournaments, including hosting the GCU Invitational at the Paseo Racquet Center. The Lopes found success at all five tournaments, at the first event senior Kylie Waschuk won a singles consolation bracket championship in San Diego. At the Long Beach State Invite, Waschuk finished runner-up in a singles flight, and six different Lopes won matches over the course of the tournament. Martina Lo Pumo advanced to the round of 32 at the ITA Southwest Regional, Lana Rinaldi won a singles championship at the GCU Invite, and Rinaldi and Occhipinti won a doubles championship at UNLV.
In January, the Lopes began the regular season with a comeback win against Souther Utah, the clinching match was won by newcomer Valentina Mokrova who had only one practice with the team before the match. After the win a trio of freshman, Mokrova, Lo Pumo, and Autum Prudhomme were all named WAC Players of the Week.
After dropping two straight matches since the win against the Thunderbirds, the team responded with a three match winning streak on the road against Detroit Mercy, UC Irvine, and UC Riverside. Lo Pumo and Waschuk led the team winning all three singles matches from the No. 1 and No. 6 positions.
Unfortunately the Lopes would face more tough opponents and lose eight of the next nine matches, but the one win was a historic win 4-2 against San Diego State. Playing in Honolulu, the Lopes earned their first ever win against the Aztecs, with Rinaldi clinching the win with a three set thriller.
The team had confidence heading into the conference season thanks to being voted by the coaches as the favorites to win the regular season title. They proved the coaches right in the first match, defeating Chicago State 7-0. But the Lopes faltered losing the next three matches, but bookend the conference slate with a 4-3 win against Seattle U.
Before the conference tournament started three Lopes were named to the All-WAC teams. Waschuk was named First Team All-WAC singles, Occhipinti was named Second Team All-WAC singles, and Rinaldi and Occhipinti earned First Team All-WAC doubles. The team also earned seven WAC Player of the Week awards throughout hte season.
The Lopes earned the fourth seed in the conference tournament and advanced to the semfinals with a 4-1 win against Chicago State. Facing top-seeded UTRGV the Lopes began the match strong winning the doubles point and took a 3-2 lead and were on the doorstep of going to the finals. But the Vaqueros came back and took the final two singles matches to pull out a 4-3 win, ending the Lopes season in the semifinals. Rinaldi and Occhipinti individually went 2-0 in singles and teamed up in doubles and won both matchups and were named to the All-Tournament team.
The Lopes will have a couple of big shoes to fill next season with the Rinaldi and Waschuk graduating. But the bright side is next season the Lopes will have no seniors on the squad which will allow for even more development to take place with the younger players and the returners will have a chance to step into leadership roles that can last for multiple seasons.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
Women's Wins the WAC Title
Monday, April 21