DENVER – Kansas City’s Mike Psarros and Idaho’s Rita Bermudez have been named the Western Athletic Conference men’s and women’s Tennis Athletes of the Week, respectively, for March 31-April 6.
Psarros, a freshman from Athens, Greece, helped the ‘Roos go 2-0 on the week by scoring the clinching point in both matches. In a tight 4-3 decision over Saint Louis on the road, Psarros won a three set match at No. 3 singles with the dual tied 3-3. Against Bradley, he scored the final point of a 4-1 victory over the Braves, again at the No. 3 singles spot. Along with partner Tomas Patino, Psarros was 1-0 in No. 1 Doubles play, defeating Bradley’s Ashton Kalhorn and Hamish Weerasinghe. An additional doubles match against St. Louis’ top duo was left unfinished at 5-5.
Bermudez, a sophomore from Tucson, Ariz. (Canyon del Oro HS), won both her singles and doubles matches in Idaho’s 4-0 win at Grand Canyon. In her return to her home state of Arizona, Bermudez’s 8-6 doubles win with teammate Galina Bykova was the difference-maker in Idaho winning the doubles point, as the Vandals and ‘Lopes split the Nos. 1 and 3 doubles matches. Then, in singles play, her 6-4, 6-4 victory at No. 6 gave Idaho the match-clinching point in the 4-0 win. Despite the score, the match was extremely close. The doubles point could have gone either way, and when Bermudez clinched the match for Idaho the remaining three matches were very much in doubt.
Other Men’s Nominees: Sergui Muresan, Chicago State … Alexander Roggenkamp, Grand Canyon … Patrick Pfister, New Mexico State.
Other Women’s Nominees: Ashvarya Shrivastava, New Mexico State.