CANTON, Ohio -- The 25th-ranked Mercyhurst women's tennis team continued its winning ways, taking a 9-0 decision against non-conference Walsh on Friday night. The Lakers, rated No. 2 in the Atlantic Region, swept both singles and doubles play.
MU (11-0) took the lead with a point at No. 3 doubles as
Ivona Plecevic and
Athina Tsagkaraki teamed for an 8-1 win over Sofia Khairutdinova and Parvanee Karimpour. For the freshman duo of Plecevic and Tsagkaraki, the win was its fifth straight victory; the team is 7-1 in its last eight matches.
The Lakers cruised from there, eventually clinching the match when
Kayla Frost secured their fifth point in the second singles match.
Frost and pairs teammate
Adrianna Jeffress had an 8-3 win against Maria Kacalova and Katarina Raszum at No. 2 doubles. Frost and Jeffress, rated sixth in the Atlantic, have won six straight matches.
Saioa Gomez de Segura and
Adina Spahalic also secured a point in pairs action, winning an 8-6 decision over Mercedes Fernandez and Clara Drasch at first doubles. Gomez de Segura and Spahalic, who are rated fourth in the Atlantic, have teamed for 14 consecutive wins and are 17-1 in their last 18 matches.
In singles, the Lakers claimed points in the exact order of their placement lineup at Nos. 1-6, beginning with Gomez de Segura and the clincher by Frost. Jeffress, Plecevic, Spahalic and Tsagkaraki followed.
Gomez de Segura and Frost stretched individual win streaks to 10 matches. Gomez de Segura is now 24-2 on the season. Frost is 14-1 in her last 15 singles matches.
Gomez de Segura, who is ranked fourth in NCAA Division II and No. 1 in the Atlantic, bested a fellow Spaniard, Fernandez, 6-1, 6-0. Fernandez is ranked 13th in the Midwest region. Frost, ranked 50th in D-II, defeated Kacalova, 6-2, 6-1.
At third singles, Jeffress improved her singles record to 9-1 in her last 10 matches as she defeated Clara Drasch, 6-2, 6-1.
Spahalic and Tsagkaraki pushed singles winning streaks to nine apiece while Plecevic won her sixth straight. Plecevic is 13 in her last 14 matches, Tsagkaraki is 11-1 in her last 12 and Spahalic is 10-1 in her last 11.
Plecevic played in the longest match of the day at No. 4, outlasting Raszum, 6-1, 5-7, 1-0 (10-7). Spahalic won over Khairutdinova, 6-2, 6-2, and Tsagkaraki handled Victoria Ambrosio, 6-1, 6-1.
The Lakers will be in action again on Sunday when they welcome non-conference Roberts Wesleyan to Erie.
#25 Mercyhurst 9, Walsh 0
| Singles competition |
| 1. #4 S. Gomez de Segura (MER-W) def. Mercedes Fernandez (WALSH) 6-1, 6-0 |
| 2. #50 Kayla Frost (MER-W) def. Maria Kacalova (WALSH) 6-2, 6-1 |
| 3. Adrianna Jeffress (MER-W) def. Clara Drasch (WALSH) 6-2, 6-1 |
| 4. Ivona Plecevic (MER-W) def. Katarina Raszum (WALSH) 6-1, 5-7, 1-0 (10-7) |
| 5. Adina Spahalic (MER-W) def. Sofia Khairutdinova (WALSH) 6-2, 6-2 |
| 6. Athina Tsagkaraki (MER-W) def. Victoria Ambrosio (WALSH) 6-1, 6-1 |
| Match Notes |
| Mercyhurst 11-0; National ranking #25 |
| Walsh 4-7 |
| Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (1,2,3,4,5,6) |
