Seniors Shine For Women's Tennis In 4-3 Loss To Lamar

BOX SCORE (PDF)

NEW ORLEANS – The University of New Orleans women's tennis team concluded the 2017 regular season on Saturday afternoon against Lamar, falling to the visiting Cardinals 4-3.

Playing in their final match at the University Tennis Center, seniors Anna Segarra Rius and Yasmine Rashad were both victorious in singles play with 3-6, 6-1, 6-3 and 6-2, 6-3 scores on courts three and five, while Rius and junior Anja Luethi claimed one final win at the top doubles flight on their home court.

"Rashad and Rius both played great today," head coach Burzis Kanga said. It would have been nice for us to have won on senior day, but you win some and you lose some. Hopefully all in all we will learn from these experiences and continue to grow."

In doubles action Luethi and Rius won at the top flight 6-3 against their Lamar (16-7, 8-3 Southland Conference) counterparts before 6-2 and 6-4 wins for the visitors on courts two and three gave the Cardinals the doubles point.

New Orleans (14-8, 6-5 Southland Conference) quickly took the overall lead with a 6-1, 6-0 victory by Brittany Johnson at the sixth position followed by Rashad's triumph. Lamar came back with-back-to-back wins on court four and one with 6-3, 6-1 and 6-4, 6-3 scores to take the 3-2 lead. Rius posted her victory to knot up the score 3-all, but a 6-7, 6-3, 6-3 loss for Luethi at the second position ended the match.

The Southland Conference Championships, played in Beaumont, Texas, begins on Friday, April 28.
 
Lamar 4, New Orleans 3
 
Singles competition
1. Katya Lapayeva (LU) def. Trang Dao (UNO) 6-4, 6-3
2. Anna Spengler (LU) def. Anja Luethi (UNO) 6-7, 6-3, 6-3
3. Anna Segarra Rius (UNO) def. Jasmin Buchta (LU) 3-6, 6-1, 6-3
4. Sanja Jolic (LU) def. Claudette Gilhespie (UNO) 6-3, 6-1
5. Yasmine Rashad (UNO) def. Talisa Merchiers (LU) 6-2, 6-3
6. Brittany Johnson (UNO) def. Hanna Elfving (LU) 6-1, 6-0
 
Doubles competition
1. Anja Luethi/Anna Segarra Rius (UNO) def. Katya Lapayeva/Anna Spengler (LU) 6-3
2. Jasmin Buchta/Hanna Elfving (LU) def. Trang Dao/Brittany Johnson (UNO) 6-2
3. Talisa Merchiers/Stephanie Marchena (LU) def. Yasmine Rashad/Claudette Gilhespie (UNO) 6-4