Northwestern State puts together successful first day at UCA Invitational

CONWAY, Ark. – The Northwestern State tennis team combined for eight singles wins and three doubles wins Sunday on the opening day of the Central Arkansas Invitational.

Sophomore Mariella Minetti and freshman Tjasa Klevisar each took both of their singles matches.

Minetti topped UCA’s Hamanaga (4-6, 6-2, 11-9) and Arkansas State’s Vdovychenko (6-0, 6-2).

Klevisar, who improved to 5-0 in singles action this fall, bested UCA’s Xin (6-3, 2-6, 10-7) and Missouri State’s Nash (6-3, 6-1). The lost set to Xin is Klevisar’s first of the fall, sweeping her other four opponents.

Four of NSU’s other five players won one singles match.

Sophomore Dorota Szczygielska dropped her opener to Southeast Missouri State’s Zelenchuck (3-6, 6-3, 10-5) before she rebounded against Austin Peay’s Cheng (6-4, 7-5).

Sophomore Viktorie Wojcikova lost her opener to Austin Peay’s Nakanishi (6-7, 7-5, 10-5) before clawing back against Arkansas State’s Brandy (6-4, 6-4).

Sophomore Gig Kanaphuet took care of Missouri State’s Miley in 6-3, 6-3 fashion before falling to Arkansas State’s Humbert (6-1, 7-5).

Freshman Ayu Ishibashi fell to Cheng (7-6, 6-0) before recovering against Louisiana Tech’s Rodrigues (6-4, 6-4).

Freshman Rozi Dohnalova lost both of her singles matches in heartbreaking fashion, falling to Austin Peay’s Leder (4-6, 6-2, 11-9) and UCA’s Nonoyama (6-4, 1-6, 10-6).

All three of NSU’s doubles tandems took their Sunday matches.

Dohnalova/Wojcikova bested SEMO’s Tarajova/Volkoska 6-1. Minetti/Klevisar handled Louisiana Tech’s Bienzobus/Romero 6-1. Szcygielska/Ishibashi blanked SEMO’s Lai/Barriga 6-0.