Completed Event: Women's Tennis at Northern Arizona on March 20, 2025 , Loss , 0, to, 7
W Tennis
at Northern Arizona
L 0-7
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Saturday, April 20
Harlingen, Texas
10 a.m. (MST)
Grand Canyon
4
vs
0
Tarleton State
Photo by: WAC
Photo by: WAC
Photo by: WAC
Photo by: WAC
Photo by: WAC
Photo by: WAC
Photo by: WAC
Photo by: WAC
Photo by: WAC
Photo by: WAC
Photo by: WAC
Photo by: WAC
Photo by: WAC
Photo by: WAC
Photo by: WAC
Photo by: WAC
GCU sweeps way to WAC Tournament title
4/20/2024 2:46:00 PM | Women's Tennis
Lopes repeat as conference tourney champions with 3 sweeps in 3 days
HARLINGEN, Texas — The Grand Canyon women's tennis team's story is not done writing itself, as the Lopes left no doubt they are the cream of the crop in the WAC. The top-seeded Lopes swept second-seeded Tarleton State to win back-to-back WAC Tournament championships.
The Lopes (22-2) not only finished off a perfect record against conference opponents at 10-0, but GCU flew through the tournament without dropping a point by winning all three matches 4-0.
"We have eight amazing people on this team from different backgrounds, from different countries, and they came together as one," said head coach Katarina Adamovic, who has led the Lopes to two NCAA tournament berths in her first two seasons at GCU. "They have been incredible all year."
The doubles point was a grind for the Lopes as it came down to the Court 1 pair, graduate Natasha Puehse and senior Santa Strombacha. They were the last to finish, left to decide a 1-1 tie at the conclusion of the matches on Courts 2 and 3. It took a comeback and a tiebreaker to take the point, but the experienced duo won the tiebreaker 7-4 to give the Lopes an early lead.
In singles, freshmen Valeriia Krokhotina and Iva Sepa gave their team a 3-0 lead with two-set sweeps within five minutes of each other. Krokhotina won 6-2, 6-1, moving her to a 16-1 record in singles this season with her 11th consecutive win. Sepa moved to 13-4 in singles play, stepping up as the No. 3 all season long.
Strombacha finished the job, winning the match-clinching point for the second year in a row in the WAC Tournament championship. Strombacha is 19-1 on the season and has won seven straight in the No. 2 position that she has held all year long.
Adamovic brought her whole team along for her postgame interview saying, "It's been them all year… I don't think I'll ever have a group as special as this one."
Puehse was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player and was joined on the WAC All-Tournament Team by Strombacha, Krokhotina and Sepa.
The Lopes are producing one of the most impressive seasons the WAC has seen in recent years. GCU is the first WAC team to win 20 or more games since Boise State recorded 23 victories in 2009-10. The obvious talent and production at the top will be remembered forever, but the immediate impact of the underclassmen has put this team over the top.
The Lopes turn their attention to the NCAA tournament, where they look for their first win in the NCAAs. Last season, the Lopes fell 4-0 to Pepperdine, an eventual Sweet 16 team. At 22-2, GCU has won 13 straight matches and will enter the tournament as one of the hottest teams in the country.
GCU will find out its destination for an NCAA regional during the NCAA Division I Women's Tennis Selection Show on Monday, April 29, at 3:30 p.m. (Phoenix time) on NCAA.com.
The Lopes (22-2) not only finished off a perfect record against conference opponents at 10-0, but GCU flew through the tournament without dropping a point by winning all three matches 4-0.
"We have eight amazing people on this team from different backgrounds, from different countries, and they came together as one," said head coach Katarina Adamovic, who has led the Lopes to two NCAA tournament berths in her first two seasons at GCU. "They have been incredible all year."
The doubles point was a grind for the Lopes as it came down to the Court 1 pair, graduate Natasha Puehse and senior Santa Strombacha. They were the last to finish, left to decide a 1-1 tie at the conclusion of the matches on Courts 2 and 3. It took a comeback and a tiebreaker to take the point, but the experienced duo won the tiebreaker 7-4 to give the Lopes an early lead.In singles, freshmen Valeriia Krokhotina and Iva Sepa gave their team a 3-0 lead with two-set sweeps within five minutes of each other. Krokhotina won 6-2, 6-1, moving her to a 16-1 record in singles this season with her 11th consecutive win. Sepa moved to 13-4 in singles play, stepping up as the No. 3 all season long.
Strombacha finished the job, winning the match-clinching point for the second year in a row in the WAC Tournament championship. Strombacha is 19-1 on the season and has won seven straight in the No. 2 position that she has held all year long.
Adamovic brought her whole team along for her postgame interview saying, "It's been them all year… I don't think I'll ever have a group as special as this one."
🏆 When it's a team effort, you bring the whole team! @Kendrasheehan_ talks with @GCU_WTennis about returning to the @NCAATennis Tournament!#OneWAC x #WACten pic.twitter.com/cK9BEulwW4
— The Western Athletic Conference (@WACsports) April 20, 2024
Puehse was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player and was joined on the WAC All-Tournament Team by Strombacha, Krokhotina and Sepa.
The Lopes are producing one of the most impressive seasons the WAC has seen in recent years. GCU is the first WAC team to win 20 or more games since Boise State recorded 23 victories in 2009-10. The obvious talent and production at the top will be remembered forever, but the immediate impact of the underclassmen has put this team over the top.
The Lopes turn their attention to the NCAA tournament, where they look for their first win in the NCAAs. Last season, the Lopes fell 4-0 to Pepperdine, an eventual Sweet 16 team. At 22-2, GCU has won 13 straight matches and will enter the tournament as one of the hottest teams in the country.
GCU will find out its destination for an NCAA regional during the NCAA Division I Women's Tennis Selection Show on Monday, April 29, at 3:30 p.m. (Phoenix time) on NCAA.com.
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
2,3,1
#1 Singles Match
1234
Emma Persson / 0 [TSU]
160UF
631UF
#2 Singles Match
12
Elsa Boisson / 0 [TSU]
43
66
#3 Singles Match
12
Martha Makantasi / 0 [TSU]
51
76
#4 Singles Match
1234
Noelia Lorca / 0 [TSU]
613UF
062UF
#5 Singles Match
12
Ximena Morales / 0 [TSU]
21
66
#6 Singles Match
123
Clara Sobius / 0 [TSU]
45UF
64UF
Order of Finish:
5,3,2
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
Women's Wins the WAC Title
Monday, April 21