This Week in WAC Women's Tennis - March 24
This Week in WAC Women's Tennis - March 24
KALAGA, PRUDHOMME AND OCCHIPINTI NAMED PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
NM State's Gavi Kalaga 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.
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 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.
UP NEXT
The week began with Grand Canyon, NM State and Dixie State were all in action on Wednesday. Tarleton opens its week with a matchup against Tyler Junior College on Friday before hosting Texas State on Saturday. Chicago State will also be on its home courts with contests against Northern Iowa and Eastern Illinois. Meanwhile, Dixie State takes on Colorado Mesa on Saturday to close its week.
BY THE NUMBERS
Both Grand Canyon and Tarleton currently sit at 6-7 on the year to share the lead for the conference's best winning percentage. Individually, NM State's Gavi Kalaga and UT Rio Grande Valley's Lea Karren head into the week with the best singles records as both are 7-1 on the season. In doubles play, GCU has the top duos as the teams of Emilia Occhipinti and Autum Prudhomme and Taylor Andersen and Joely Lomas both hoist a record of 8-4.
IT'S BIGGER IN TEXAS (AND UTAH)
On Jan. 14, the WAC announced the addition of five new schools in the upcoming years. Abilene Christian, Lamar, Sam Houston, Stephen F. Austin and Southern Utah were all offered and accepted membership invitations. With the addition, the WAC will have six schools in Texas, more than any other conference in the country, and three schools in Utah, also a national best. The four Texas schools will join the league on July 1, 2021 and Southern Utah will follow 365 days later, officially joining the WAC on July 1, 2022.
WAC CHAMPIONSHIP HEADED TO NEW MEXICO
The 2021 WAC Tennis Championships will be headed to the campus of NM State with both the men and women competitng for a title in Las Cruces, N.M. Play is set to begin on April 30 with the final day of matches scheduled for May 2.