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Wayne State University Athletics

Women's Tennis Advancing to NCAA Round of 16
Izzy Rincon
Team celebrating after defeating Tiffin.
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Tiffin TUW (20-7)
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Winner Wayne State WSUW (13-4)
Tiffin TUW
(20-7)
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Final
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Wayne State WSUW
(13-4)
Winner

Match Recap: Women's Tennis | | Henry Coyle, Sports Information Graduate Assistant

Women's Tennis Advances to NCAA Round of 16 After 4-3 Triumph Over Tiffin in Regional Final

DETROIT -- The No. 1-seeded Wayne State University women's tennis squad (13-4 overall) defeated the No. 4-seeded Tiffin University (20-7 overall) 4-3 on Tuesday in the final round of the NCAA Midwest Regional.  The Warriors now move on to the NCAA Tournament Round of 16 in Altamonte Springs, Fla. at Sanlando Park.

With the win, the Green and Gold has now reached the round of 16 for the third consecutive campaign.

HOW IT HAPPENED
DOUBLES
Tiffin struck first in the NCAA Midwest Regional match, claiming the doubles point after winning two matches.

At the No. 1 position, the pairing of Anais Ruyssen (Nantes, France / Enfants-Nantais [Keiser]) and Dea Gorgidze (Tbilisi, Georgia Tbilisi Public School N145 [Western Michigan]) was bested 6-2 by the TU duo of Emily Barrett and Jemimah Choi.

Malak Arafat (Alexandria, Egypt / Lycée Français d'Alexandrie) and Justine Beaulieu (Montreal, Que. / Collège de Montréal High School), in the No. 2 doubles spot, nabbed the sole doubles victory for WSU as the pair topped Carina Gilman and Anaelle Lepinay 7-5.

The final doubles team to compete was the pairing of Shanice Weekes (London, England / Fortismere S.S.) and Martyna Szpakowska (Gdansk, Poland / Sopocka Akademia Tenisowa) in the No. 3 slot.  The WSU student-athletes fell 7-6 (7-3) to Francesca Milani and Celine Ferron as the Dragons took the early advantage.

SINGLES
The No. 1 singles position saw the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Player of the Year and Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) Player of the Year battle with each other as Ruyssen and Choi were matched on court one.  The TU student-athlete claimed the first set 7-5 before Ruyssen nabbed the second 7-6 (8-6).  The graduate student flourished in the third set, downing her opponent 6-1.

Similar to the No. 1 spot, Arafat had to rally back from falling in the first set 6-2 in the No. 2 slot.  The WSU student-athlete found success in the second and third set, as she had done multiple times this season.  Arafat topped Barrett 6-4, 7-6 (8-6) and prevailed.

Gorgidze represented WSU in the No. 3 singles position and downed Anaelle Lepinay 6-1, 6-3 to help the Warriors.

In the No. 4 and No. 5 positions were Weekes and Beaulieu respectively.  The junior was bested 7-6 (7-4), 3-6, 4-6 by Gilman while the sophomore fell 2-6, 5-7 to Milani.

With the match tied at three apiece, Szpakowska was matched with Anisha Sivakumar in the No. 6 singles position.  Szpakowska started off strong, prevailing 6-3 in the opening set.  The TU student-athlete began the second set well as she established a 4-1 lead.  Szpakowska rallied back to knot the set at four games each before Sivakumar triumphed 7-6 (7-3) to force a third set.  In the final set, the WSU student-athlete claimed a 6-3 victory to send Wayne State to the NCAA Finals Round of 16.

UP NEXT
The Wayne State women's tennis team will next compete in the NCAA Tournament Round of 16 with the squad's opponent to be determined following the conclusion of other regional matches.  The NCAA Tournament will take place in Altamonte Springs, Fla. at Sanlando Park. with matches at either 8:00 AM or 11:00 AM on Wednesday, May 21.  


 
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