PEREVOSHCHIKOVA NAMED PLAYER OF THE MONTH
Idaho’s Maria Perevoshchikova has been named the Western Athletic Conference Tennis Player of the Month for September. This is the first career honor for Perevoshchikova.
A senior from Izhevsk, Russia, Perevoshchikova posted a 6-2 singles record during September, advancing to the semifinals of the Cougar Classic and to the finals of the GU/EWU Fall Invitational. In doubles, she and partner Alexandra Ulesanu tallied a 7-1 record on the month, winning the A Flight Doubles title at the GU/EWU Fall Invitational. The duo lost a total of just nine points on the way to winning the doubles title.
Other nominees included: Pichittra Thongdach of Boise State went 2-1 in singles and 3-1 in doubles during September ... New Mexico State’s Sophia Marks finished with a 2-3 singles record and 3-2 doubles mark in September, capturing the doubles title at the Miner Fall Invitational ... Britney Watts of Utah State was 4-1 in singles action and 1-1 in doubles play at the BYU Invitational.
WAC IN THE PRESEASON RANKINGS
In the 2009 preseason ITA rankings, the WAC has three singles players ranked. Leading the way at No. 22 is Fresno State’s Anastasia Petukova, followed by Pichittra Thongdach of Boise State at No. 47. Rounding out the group is Renata Kucerkova of Fresno State at No. 51.
In doubles, Fresno State’s Petukhova and Kucerkova are the top ranked team in the country. Meanwhile, Lauren Megale and Thongdach of Boise State are ranked No. 33.
NM STATE PAIR TAKE DOUBLES TITLE AT MINER INVITE
NM State’s Sophia Marks and Aleksa Costa captured the doubles title at the Miner Fall Invitational by going 3-0, including at convincing 8-1 win over UTEP’s Martina Trierweiler and Alexandra Glebova.
BOISE STATE’S THONGDACH, MEGALE PLACE SECOND
Boise State’s Pichittra Thongdach and Lauren Megale earned a second-place finish in doubles at the Midland Racquet Club Collegiate Invitational with a 3-1 record. The duo, ranked No. 33 in the ITA preseason rankings, defeated opponents from Rice, Nebraska and Texas A&M before falling to TCU’s Megan Alexander and Kayla Duncan.
UTAH STATE’S WATTS WINS FEED-IN BRACKET AT BYU INVITE
Utah State began fall action with competition in the BYU Invitational. Senior Britney Watts was the lone Aggie to advance to Saturday’s competition, defeating Weber State’s Brittiny Moore in a quick, 6-1, 6-1, match to win the singles silver feed-in bracket. Watts was 4-1 in singles action during the week and 1-1 in doubles play with freshman partner Sadi Wilkins.
BULLDOGS LOSE FOUR SENIORS FROM 2009 SQUAD
With four seniors graduating from last year’s WAC champion squad, the Bulldogs will rely on some new faces in 2009-10 to continue their WAC Championship streak. Seniors Anastasia Petukhova and Renata Kucerkova have helped the young Bulldogs develop. Also returning for Fresno State is sophomore Laura Pola, who showed a lot of promise and clinched the WAC Championship match for the Bulldogs last season.
WAC TOURNAMENT TO BE HELD IN FRESNO
The 2010 WAC Tennis Tournament will be held April 29-May 2 in Fresno, Calif. The Bulldogs, winners of eight-straight WAC Tournament titles, defeated No. 2-seed Boise State, 4-3, in a match that came down to the last point to claim last year’s title.