TicketSmarter WAC Tennis Athletes of the Week Announced
DENVER – Chicago State's Pedro Alvarez, NM State's Gavi Kalaga, Chicago State doubles team Jakov Suler and Max Sandoval and Grand Canyon doubles team Autum Prudhomme and Emilia Occhipinti have been named the TicketSmarter Western Athletic Conference Tennis Athletes of the Week for March 16 through March 22.
Alvarez, a freshman from Cagua, Venezuela, posted a perfect record last week as he earned wins in Chicago State's meetings with Butler and Illinois-Chicago. Alvarez secured a tight victory over Butler's Filip Tensing (6-3, 3-6, 10-3) to start the week. He then followed that performance with a commanding win over Illinois-Chicago's Artem Iermolov (6-1, 6-2).
Suler, a junior from Zagreb, Croatia, and Sandoval, a freshman from Michoacan, Mexico, collected a pair of doubles wins to finish with an undefeated record on the week. The tandem opened the week with a win over Butler's Zach Trimpe and Drew Michael (6-4). Suler and Sandoval then came away with a 6-3 win over Illinois Chicago's Luiz Dos Santos and Casey Schrader to pick up the lone doubles win for the Cougars on Sunday.
Kalaga, a junior from Bhubaneswar, India, ran her singles winning streak to seven matches as she helped the Aggies start 2-0 in WAC play. Friday, Kalaga earned a 6-4, 6-1 decision over UT Rio Grande Valley's Katarina Sasaroga to lead NM State to a 5-2 win over the Vaqueros. Kalaga then pulled out a narrow victory over Seattle U's Hannah Grossman, winning 7-6 (1), 6-4.
Prudhomme, a senior from Glendale, Ariz., and Occhipinti, a senior from Ragusa, Italy, turned in a perfect 3-0 record last week as they helped GCU earn wins over Colorado State, Dixie State and Tarleton. Their week was highlighted by a pair of wins in WAC play, including a win over Dixie State's Alex Hildreth and Emma Templeman (6-2). The tandem then duplicated a 6-2 score in a win over Tarleton's Mihaela Codreanu and Faustine Palatte.
Other men's singles nominees: UT Rio Grande Valley's Carlo Izurieta recorded his team-leading sixth singles victory as he took down Incarnate Word's Marwin Krallemann.
Other men's doubles nominees: UT Rio Grande Valley's Luka Jankovic and Zane Kohrs helped the Vaqueros clinch the doubles point with a win over Incarnate Word's Marwin Krallemann and Pietro Perego (6-3).
Other women's singles nominees: Chicago State's Sofiya Sedovich earned a win for the Cougars in second-flight action against UTRGV's Ana Platisa… Dixie State's Alex Hildreth tallied her first win in WAC play as she defeated Seattle U's Peggy Rooke… Grand Canyon's Natasha Puehse led the way for the Lopes in singles play, finishing with a 3-0 record and improving to 7-4 on the year… UT Rio Grande Valley's Lea Karren recorded a pair of league wins last week, taking down NM State's Harsha Challa and Chicago State's Susana Andres.
Other women's doubles nominees: Dixie State's Rachel Mellor and Juliana Honczaruk helped secure the doubles point for the Trailblazers with a win over Seattle U's No. 2 doubles team… NM State's Miranda Bishard and Lucija Josipovic tallied a pair of WAC wins as they finished 2-0 last week with wins coming over UTRGV and Seattle U… UT Rio Grande Valley's Isabelle Bahr and Katarina Sasaroga went a perfect 2-0 last week, earning wins in flight No. 2 over NM State and Chicago State.