Upcoming Event: Women's Tennis versus ITA All-American Championships on September 17, 2026
W Tennis
vs ITA All-American Championships
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Friday, September 29
San Diego, Calif.
Grand Canyon
at
SDSU Fall Classic
Photo by: Nate Cochran
Hot fall start continues in San Diego
10/2/2023 3:50:00 PM | Women's Tennis
GCU wins 2 SDSU Fall Classic draws, finishes with 11 singles wins and 3 doubles wins
SAN DIEGO – The Grand Canyon women's tennis team had another strong fall showing at the SDSU Fall Classic this weekend.
The Lopes put together an all-around team performance, winning a singles draw and a doubles draw with 11 singles wins and three doubles wins.
The success of seniors Natasha Puehse and Santa Strombacha continued in San Diego as the GCU No. 1 pair won the top doubles flight. The duo defeated a pair from UTEP 6-2, a Minnesota pair 6-1 and a duo from CSUN 6-1 in the final. Puehse and Strombacha finished the first month of the fall season at 7-0.
Puehse had a great weekend individually, winning the second singles draw. In her first singles action of the fall, Puehse won 6-2, 6-4 over CSUN's Yuliia Zhytlena and 6-1, 6-4 over UTEP's Veronika Lebisova to advance to the final. In the championship match, Puehse won in straight sets 7-5, 6-2 over CSUN's Aiva Schmitz. In the same draw, Strombacha had two straight-set wins.
Meanwhile, GCU sophomore Dania Deaifi continued her strong fall campaign with four wins in the top singles flight. Deaifi had straight-set wins over Minnesota's Sofia Pizzoni and CSUN's Emma Sanz, along with a pair of three-set wins over Minnesota's Sofia Pinto and Mia Liepert. Combined with a strong showing at the Lumberjack Classic, Deaifi has started the fall with a 6-1 record.
In the third singles flight, Lopes junior Valentina Del Marco won twice against CSUN opponents. The Massa, Italy native defeated Sofia Dermenjyan 6-3, 6-1 and Vitoria Urdiales in a tough 7-6, 4-6, 10-8 match.
In doubles, Deaifi and Del Marco picked up a 6-0 sweep of UTEP's Emma Jewell and Elena Dibattista.
The Lopes will have a week off before they return to San Diego for the ITA Southwest Regional from Oct. 19-23
The Lopes put together an all-around team performance, winning a singles draw and a doubles draw with 11 singles wins and three doubles wins.
The success of seniors Natasha Puehse and Santa Strombacha continued in San Diego as the GCU No. 1 pair won the top doubles flight. The duo defeated a pair from UTEP 6-2, a Minnesota pair 6-1 and a duo from CSUN 6-1 in the final. Puehse and Strombacha finished the first month of the fall season at 7-0.
Puehse had a great weekend individually, winning the second singles draw. In her first singles action of the fall, Puehse won 6-2, 6-4 over CSUN's Yuliia Zhytlena and 6-1, 6-4 over UTEP's Veronika Lebisova to advance to the final. In the championship match, Puehse won in straight sets 7-5, 6-2 over CSUN's Aiva Schmitz. In the same draw, Strombacha had two straight-set wins.
Meanwhile, GCU sophomore Dania Deaifi continued her strong fall campaign with four wins in the top singles flight. Deaifi had straight-set wins over Minnesota's Sofia Pizzoni and CSUN's Emma Sanz, along with a pair of three-set wins over Minnesota's Sofia Pinto and Mia Liepert. Combined with a strong showing at the Lumberjack Classic, Deaifi has started the fall with a 6-1 record.
In the third singles flight, Lopes junior Valentina Del Marco won twice against CSUN opponents. The Massa, Italy native defeated Sofia Dermenjyan 6-3, 6-1 and Vitoria Urdiales in a tough 7-6, 4-6, 10-8 match.
In doubles, Deaifi and Del Marco picked up a 6-0 sweep of UTEP's Emma Jewell and Elena Dibattista.
The Lopes will have a week off before they return to San Diego for the ITA Southwest Regional from Oct. 19-23
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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