GCU's 20th win advances Lopes to semis

Thursday, April 18

Harlingen, Texas

10 a.m. (MST)

Grand Canyon

Utah Tech

Photo by: WAC

4/18/2024 12:18:00 PM | Women's Tennis

Box Score

Puehse breaks program's all-time career singles wins record; Lopes sprint to 4-0 win

By: Josh Hauser

HARLINGEN, Texas — Grand Canyon made quick work of its opening match in the WAC Tournament, cruising to a 4-0 quarterfinal win in less than 90 minutes against eighth-seeded Utah Tech at HEB Tennis Center on Thursday.

The Lopes (20-2) advance to play fifth-seeded Abilene Christian on Friday at 10 a.m. (Phoenix time) in a semifinal match.

Program history was made on Thursday as top singles player Natasha Puehse broke GCU's all-time record for career wins with her 65th. The graduate student from Scottsdale, Arizona, entered the match tied with Denise Valentin (1994-97) with 64 career singles wins.

Puehse took care of her opponent in 6-0, 6-1 fashion to improve to 16-2 this season on the top singles court.

Puehse — named the WAC Player of the Year for the third time in her career on Wednesday — teamed up with senior Santa Strombacha for one of GCU's two doubles wins. Freshmen Elizaveta Morozova and Iva Sepa also took care of business on Court 3, clinching the doubles point for the Lopes.

The Lopes did not have much issue in dominating singles play. The clinch-style match ended after the Lopes won the first three singles courts, but all six courts were trending in GCU's favor.

Puehse and Morozova each let only one game get away, putting the Lopes in front 3-0 with their quick wins on Courts 1 and 3.

Freshman Valeriia Krokhotina brought the win home on Court 5 with a 6-0, 6-0 win.

Strombacha, Sepa and sophomore Dania Deaifi had each won their first set and were leading in their second set when the match was clinched for the Lopes.

GCU and Abilene Christian will fight for a spot in the championship match when they meet in the semifinals on Friday. The Lopes hosted the Wildcats on April 5 and emerged 7-0 victors.