Singles success leads to GCU comeback

Monday, March 13

Phoenix, Ariz.

1 p.m.

Grand Canyon

New Mexico

3/13/2023 4:44:00 PM | Women's Tennis

Box Score

4 Lopes win in singles to give GCU a 4-1 win

By: Jerob Moon

The Grand Canyon women's tennis team took down New Mexico 4-1 at the GCU Tennis Facility on Monday.

The Lopes (6-6) leaned on their singles success after dropping the doubles point. The top three singles courts all picked up wins and graduate student Madeline Lamoreaux clinched the win at court five.

In doubles the Lopes fell down early on the top two courts but battled back late. The Lobos (6-2) gained an early advantage with a 6-1 win over GCU's Valentina Del Marco and Dania Deaifi at court three. Meanwhile at court two GCU freshman Anali Kocevar and Lamoreaux overcame a 3-4 deficit to push their match to a tiebreaker at 6-6. It was a similar comeback story at the top court where senior Natasha Puehsea and junior Santa Strombacha overcame a 1-4 deficit and tied up their match 6-6.

In the tiebreaker at court two Kocevar and Lamoreaux won the first two points, but the Lobos came back eventually winning 7-5 to clinch the doubles point. Puehse and Strombacha had just begun their tiebreaker when the match was called and left unfinished.

The Lopes began their comeback in singles with four first set wins. Puehse was dominant at the top court winning 6-1, 6-1 while Kocevar won 6-4, 6-0 to put GCU back on top 2-1.

Strombacha would follow quickly behind with a straight set win at No. 2 to put GCU on the brink of the win. The victory would be clinched moments later as Lamoreaux closed out her match winning 7-5, 6-1.

The remaining two singles matches for Deaifi and Del Marco were left unfinished.

The Lopes will begin WAC play this weekend welcoming Seattle U and Utah Tech to the GCU Tennis Facility on March 17 and 19.