SLU’s women’s tennis suffered a disappointing end to their season with a 4-2 loss to Charlotte in the quarterfinals of the Atlantic 10 tournament this past Friday.
The Billikens, who were ranked 10th, upset the Fordham Rams, ranked 7th, in the first-round of the A-10 tournament on Thursday to reach the quarterfinals in Charlottesville, VA at the Boar’s Head Sports Club.
Brooke Urzendowski started SLU’s success with a victory in single’s play, winning 6-2, 6-2.
Freshman Stephanie Hollis and sophomore Maria Toro Moreno carried the team against Fordham, winning both their singles matches and their doubles match. Moreno fought hard against Fordham’s Julie Leong and was the 7-6, 6-3 victory.
Hollis found herself on the winning end of a back and forth match, taking the ends of the three-set match 6-3, 3-6, 6-2.
Unfortunately Hollis and Moreno were not able to carry this streak through for their games in Charlottesville. With Hollis losing 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 and Moreno 6-1, 6-1. Fortunately for these two young ladies there is a long career as Billikens ahead of them.
SLU senior Jenny Nalepa and freshman Brooke Urzendowski defeated their opponents with a 6-2, 6-3 victory for Nalepa and a 6-3, 6-4 victory for Urzendowski. Nalepa was also able to gain a victory with teammate Mia Elmore in their doubles match with a 9-7 victory over Charlotte.
Gaining victories in both her singles and doubles match, Nalepa can graduate from SLU with a tennis career to be proud of. With seniors Nalepa and Kasia Tomalak graduating in May, a young team will be left in the hands of the single senior, Mia Elmore.
The hopes are high for this group of young ladies, and we can only anxiously wait for next season.
