Singles play carries Lopes to shutout

Monday, January 22

Phoenix, Ariz.

11:30 a.m.

Grand Canyon

Fresno State

Photo by: Nate Cochran

1/22/2024 5:40:00 PM | Women's Tennis

Box Score

GCU battles weather along with Fresno State in 4-0 home win

By: Jerob Moon

The Grand Canyon women's tennis team continued its strong season-opening homestand with a 4-0 shutout of Fresno State on Monday.

The Lopes (4-1) had to battle the weather as well as the Bulldogs (0-2) at GCU Tennis Facility. The match, originally schedule for Sunday afternoon, was postponed to Monday because of rain, but the match was further delayed by wet court conditions.

With the match time pushed back, the teams elected to play six singles matches first instead of doubles. The Lopes won at three of the top five courts to seal the win.

Using a staggered start, the Lopes deployed their top three singles players to kick off the match. Graduate Natasha Puehse improved to 4-0 in singles play with a quick 6-2, 6-1 win at the top court to put GCU up 1-0. That lead extended with freshman Valeriia Krokhotina's 6-4, 6-1 win at No. 3. For the St. Petersburg, Russia native, it was her third straight win at Court 3 to continue the hot start to her collegiate career.

Meanwhile, on Court 2, GCU senior Santa Strombacha also won her fourth straight match, defeating Fresno State's Matilde Magrini in straight sets to put GCU up 3-0 and on the brink of the team win. The final point came from freshman Iva Sepa, who bounced back from a recent loss to Arizona to win 6-3, 6-1 against the Bulldogs.

With GCU leading 4-0, the final two singles matches were left unfinished. The Lopes' Lailaa Bashir was just beginning her second set after losing the first in tiebreaker at Court 2. Freshman Elizaveta Morozova was beginning a first-set tiebreaker at Court 6 when her match was called.

The Lopes will be off for the next 17 days before their next match against Arkansas on Feb. 8. It will be the second SEC opponent to come to GCU Tennis Facility this season.