NATCHITOCHES – Four Northwestern State players did not drop a set as the Lady Demons cruised to a 7-0 victory against Alcorn on Saturday at the Jack Fisher Tennis Complex.
Sofi Garcia coasted to a 6-0, 6-0 win against Jamie Edwards at the No. 4 slot, which set the tone for singles.
At the top of the rotation, Tjasa Klevisar topped Alcorn’s Tangia Riley-Codrington in straight sets 6-0, 6-1. In the second set, Klevisar jumped ahead 3-1 and coasted from there.
Ayu Ishibashi wasted no time making her presence felt in the match at the No. 2 singles spot. After not playing in doubles, she came out and made quick work of Aizat Zholdakayeva 6-1, 6-3.
Mariella Minetti reached the win column with a victory against Jamie Edwards, 6-2, 6-1.
“It feels great to be back on the court and competing, I have missed it,” said Minetti. “Usually I always have nerves but today I had none. I am going to keep practicing hard like always.”
Wise clinched the sweep with a 5-7, 7-5, 10-5 win against Mikaela Konstantinova at the No. 3 position. Wise challenged Konstantinova in the first set. She trailed in the second set then coming back and tying the set at 5-5 before forcing a third with a 7-5 win. She quickly grabbed the lead in the super tiebreaker and outlasted Konstantinova.
Ubachs won by default at No. 6, but that does not count to her season total. The Braves played with just five players, meaning Alcorn had to forfeit singles No.6 and doubles No.3.
“Doubles sets the tone for the singles and we used that momentum and carried it into singles, and got fast starts on all of the courts,” said head coach Jonas Brobeck.
To begin the day, NSU (8-5) secured the doubles point with a 6-1 win on No. 1 with doubles pairing Dorota Szczygielska and Renske Ubachs.
Szczygielska and Ubachs are 10-3 in doubles mainly on court 3.
Paige Wise and Sofi Garcia were challenged at No. 2 going down 2-1 early before fighting back to a 4-3 lead. Wise and Garcia finished with a 6-3 win.
The Lady Demons start conference play March 14 and 16, as they head to Texas for a pair weekend matches against Incarnate Word and Texas A&M- Corpus Christi.
Tennis Match Results
Northwestern State v. Alcorn
March 18, 2023, Natchitoches, La.
NSU 7, Alcorn 0
SINGLES:
1.Tjasa Klevisar (NSU) def. Tangia Riley-Codrington (ASU) 6-0, 6-1
2.Ayu Ishibashi (NSU) def. Aizat Zholdakayeva (ASU) 6-1, 6-3
3.Paige Wise (NSU) def. Mikaela Konstantinova (ASU) 5-7, 7-5, 10-5
4.Sofi Garcia (NSU) def. Nicole Kells (ASU) 6-0, 6-0
5.Mariella Minetti (NSU) def. Jamie Edwards (ASU) 6-2, 6-1
6.Renske Ubachs (NSU) def. win by default
Order of finish: 4,5,1,2,3
DOUBLES:
1.Dorota Szczygielska/Renske Ubachs (NSU) def. Tangia Riley-Codrington/Aizat Zholdakayeva (ASU) 6-1
2.Paige Wise/Sofi Garcia (NSU) def. Jamie Edwards/Mikaela Konstantinova (ASU) 6-3
3.Mariella Minetti/Gig Kanaphuet (NSU) def. Nicole Kells/x (ASU) win by default
Order of finish: 1,2
Photo: Chris Reich, NSU Photographic Services
