Final match settles loss to BYU

Friday, January 24

Phoenix, Ariz.

1 p.m.

Grand Canyon

BYU

1/24/2020 4:32:00 PM | Women's Tennis

Box Score

Lopes, Cougars go the distance in 4-3 finish

By: Jerob Moon

The Grand Canyon women's tennis dropped a 4-3 match to BYU at home Friday at the GCU Tennis Facility.

The Lopes (0-2) and Cougars (2-0) went back and forth in a marathon match that lasted more than 3 1/2 hours.

GCU took an early 1-0 lead on the doubles point. Lopes seniors Emilia Occhipinti and Celina Buhr set the tempo with a 6-2 win at No. 1. BYU came back with a 6-3 win on court two but the point was clinched by juniors Autum Prudhomme and Ludovica Infantino in a 6-4 victory at No. 3.

Heading into singles, BYU came out strong by winning four of the first six sets and captured the first three matches. The Cougars won easily 6-1, 6-2 at Nos. 4 and 6 and added a third point by winning in three sets at No. 1.

Despite the 3-1 deficit,, the Lopes rallied to tie the match. At No. 2, GCU freshman Natasha Puehse shrugged off a 7-5 loss in the first set to dominate the final two sets 6-1, 6-2. Infantino, at No. 5, had a rollercoaster match, winning 6-3 in the first set before dropping the second set 6-0. But the junior from Noto, Italy, pushed through and tied the dual match with a 6-4 win in the third set.

The match came down to Buhr at No. 3. After winning the first set 6-3, Buhr was pushed to a second-set tiebreaker. Despite holding a 5-4 lead, Buhr lost 7-5 to force a third set. BYU's Madeline Almeida won it 6-4 to give the Cougars the match victory.

The Lopes will be on the road for the next four matches, starting with duals at Montana and Montana State on Feb. 1 and 2.