BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — WKU Tennis continued its 2022 season Friday night against the Austin Peay Governors. The Lady Toppers fell, 4-3, after winning the doubles point.
WKU got off to a hot start by winning the doubles point. The No. 1 duo of Cora-Lynn von Dungern and Paola Cortez won their match on Court 1, 6-3. They improve to a team-high, 8-1 in doubles on the year. The Governors responded, winning on Court 2, 6-1. In the No. 3 spot, Sofia Blanco and Samantha Martinez were able to clinch the first point for the Lady Toppers, winning 7-5 in an exciting finish to give WKU the early lead.
The Governors answered going into singles play. They were able to tie the match at 1-1 after winning at No. 4, 6-3, 6-1. Rachel Hermanova was able to reclaim the lead for the Lady Toppers, securing the 6-3, 6-1 victory at the No. 5 spot. She gets her 10th singles win in 12 matches, a team-high.
Austin Peay was able to win back-to-back matches at No. 6 and No. 3, winning both in straight sets, taking the lead for the first time, 3-2. At No. 1, it came down to a third set, where the Governors were able to claim the match-clinching point, winning, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2. Laura Bernardos finished just after, winning in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4. She improves to 8-2 in singles on the year. This made the final score, 4-3, going in favor of Austin Peay.
"Really, really tough match. This is our fourth 4-3 match of the year. I give credit to Austin Peay. They have always been a tough, worthy opponent. We have always kind of struggled in the past. This is the best match, by far, that we have played against them since I have been at Western," head coach Greg Davis said. "They came out very intense in singles after we won the doubles point. We did a tremendous job in doubles. This is the first time all year that we have won the doubles point, but lost the match. We were 8-0 coming in after we have won the doubles point. They had to win four singles matches, and they came in here and did that."
The Lady Toppers continue the spring campaign tomorrow in Bowling Green, with a matchup against SIU Edwardsville on Saturday, March 5, and on Sunday, March 6 against Belmont. Both matches have a 1 p.m. start time and will be played at the WKU Tennis Complex. The location could alternate to the Michael O. Buchanon tennis facility depending on weather.
Final Results
Singles (Order of finish: 4,5,6,3,2,1)
1: Denise Torrealba (APSU) def. Cora-Lynn von Dungern (WKU) 4-6, 6-1, 2-6
2: Laura Bernardos (WKU) def. Jana Leder (APSU) 6-4, 6-4
3: Martina Paladini-Jennings (APSU) def. Paola Cortez (WKU) 6-4, 6-2
4: Aleks Topalovoic (APSU) def. Taylor Shaw (WKU) 6-3, 6-1
5: Rachel Hermanova (WKU) def. Honoka Nakanishi (APSU) 6-3, 6-1
6: Yu-Hua Cheng (APSU) def. Alexis Cramer (WKU) 6-3, 6-1
Doubles (Order of finish 1,2,3)
1: Cortez/von Dungern (WKU) def. Topalovic/Leder (APSU) 6-3
2: Nakanishi/Torrealba (APSU) def. Bernardos/Hermanova (WKU) 6-1
3: Blanco/Martinez (WKU) def. Paladini-Jennings/Cheng (APSU) 7-5
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