Four players win singles matches in victory at St. Thomas
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla.—In a battle of ranked teams, the No. 10 LSUA women’s tennis team went on the road to defeat No. 25 St. Thomas (Fla.) 5-2 on Thursday afternoon at the STU Tennis Courts.
Four of the six singles players won their matches, including the top two, Darija Mladenovic and Alicia Romero Gomez. Of the three singles matches won, only one needed a third set.
LSUA (3-1) has won three in a row following its season opening loss to Xavier.
“St. Thomas is a very underrated team and I knew that and prepared my girls for it,” LSUA Women’s Tennis Coach Melinda Descant said. “I knew they’d have to play well to beat them and they did by winning the doubles point and following that up by winning on singles courts 1, 2, 4 and 5. I’m extremely proud of how they played.”
STU (4-5) drops its second consecutive match. The Bobcats have played six matches against teams currently ranked in the top 21 nationally. STU falls to 1-5 in those matches with the win over No. 21 Southeastern University, but lost two of the matches 4-3, so their record is close to being that much better.
Mladenovic, a freshman from Nis, Serbia, took the senior to school, taking care of Amber Paterson in straight sets 6-2, 6-0, at the No. 1 singles position.
At the No. 2 singles position, sophomore Alicia Romero Gomez, from Córdoba, Spain took her match in three sets against Annie Carrera. After dropping the first set 7-5, Romero Gomez bounced back to take the second set 6-2 and a tight third set 6-4 to win the match.
Maria Alvarez continued her strong play, winning in straight sets against Vanessa Centeno at the No. 4 singles spot, 6-4, 6-3.
Candela Bonivardi dominated once again at the No. 5 singles position, winning in convincing fashion once again, emerging with a 6-2, 6-1, victory against Sofia De La Fuente.
The day began with the Generals taking the doubles point, winning at the No. 2 and 3 spots in the rotation.
Romero Gomez and Packer had a strong performance to come away with a 6-2 win at No. 2 against STU’s Vanessa Centeno and Giovanna Paschoalin, while Patricia Martinez Molina and Candela Bonivardi rolled against Sophia Perez and Amber Paterson at the No. 3 spot in the doubles rotation.
LSUA continues its Florida trip with a visit to Florida National in Hialeah and concludes Monday with a visit to the University of Fort Lauderdale.
Tennis Match Results
LSU-Alexandria vs St. Thomas (Fla.)
March 18, 2021 at Shreveport, La.
(STU Tennis Courts)
LSU-Alexandria 5, St. Thomas 2
Singles
1. Darija Mladenovic (LSUA) def. Amber Paterson (STU) 6-2, 6-0
2. Alicia Romero Gomez (LSUA) def. Annie Carrera 5-7, 6-2, 6-4
3. Lia Pena (STU) def. Niamh Packer 6-4, 6-0
4. Maria Alvarez (LSUA) def. Vanessa Centeno 6-4, 6-3
5. Candela Bonivardi (LSUA) def. Sofia De La Fuente 6-2, 6-1
6. Giovanna Paschoalin (STU) def. Patricia Martinez Molina 6-2, 6-2
Doubles
1. Lia Pena/Annie Carrera (STU) def. Darija Mladenovic/Carme Ibanyez Navarro 6-0
2. Alicia Romero Gomez/Niamh Packer (LSUA) def. Vanessa Centeno/Giovanna Paschoalin 6-2
3. Patricia Martinez Molina/Candela Bonivardi (LSUA) def. Sophia Perez/Amber Paterson 6-1
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