CHAMP CENTRAL
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TULSA, Okla. - The matchup is set for Saturday’s women’s championship final, while Friday whittled down the field to four on the men’s side at the 2015 American Athletic Conference Tennis Championships at Case Tennis Center.
Houston and Tulsa will clash in Saturday’s championship final at 2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. CT on The American Digital Network following men’s semifinal matches, with USF set to face Memphis, while Tulsa will take on Tulane.
Women’s Championship - Semifinals
No. 1 Houston 4, No. 4 SMU 1
Top-seeded Houston advanced to Saturday’s championship final with a 4-1 victory over SMU Friday in Tulsa.
The Mustangs tallied the doubles point with wins at No. 1 and No. 3. Macie Elliott and Mary Wright were winners at No. 3 with a 6-1 decision over Angela Lorenzo and Mina Markovic before Houston’s Rocio Martin and Tina Rupert won 6-3 at No. 2 over SMU’s Hristina Dishkova and Holly Verner. The clash at No. 1 would give the Mustangs the point, as Dasha Sharapova and Vaszilisza Bulgakova tallied a 7-5 win over Elena Kordolaimi and Despoina Vogasari.
The Cougars would win all four completed singles matches for the victory. Kordolaimi dropped SMU’s Anna Kate Anderson at No. 2 (6-2, 6-2) and Lorenzo defeated Verner at No. 6 (6-3, 6-2) before Martin’s win over Yana Erkeeva at No. 4 (6-2, 6-3) set up the deciding point. Markovic would clinch the match at No. 5 with a three-set win over Bulgakova (2-6, 6-4, 6-4).
Houston advances to face No. 3 Tulsa in Saturday’s championship final at 2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. CT on The American Digital Network.
Doubles Competition
1. Dasha Sharapova/Vaszilisza Bulgakova (SMU) def. Elena Kordolaimi/Despoina Vogasari (HOU), 7-5
2. Rocio Martin/Tina Rupert (HOU) def. Hristina Dishkova/Holly Verner (SMU), 6-3
3. Macie Elliott/Mary Wright (SMU) def. Angela Lorenzo/Mina Markovic (HOU), 6-1
Order of Finish: 3,2,1*
Singles Competition
1. Hristina Dishkova (SMU) vs. Despoina Vogasari (HOU), DNF
2. Elena Kordolaimi (HOU) def. Anna Kate Anderson (SMU), 6-2, 6-2
3. Dasha Sharapova (SMU) vs. Tina Rupert (HOU), DNF
4. Rocio Martin (HOU) def. Yana Erkeeva (SMU), 6-2, 6-3
5. Mina Markovic (HOU) def. Vaszilisza Bulgakova (SMU), 2-6, 6-4, 6-4
6. Angela Lorenzo (HOU) def. Holly Verner (SMU), 6-3, 6-2
Order of Finish: 2,6,4,5*
No. 3 Tulsa 4, No. 2 Tulane 0
Tulsa will play on its home courts for The American Championship after a 4-0 win over Tulane at Case Tennis Center in a Friday semifinal.
The Golden Hurricane took the doubles point with wins at No. 1 and No. 3. Mahitha Dadireddy and Saana Saarteinen opened the match with a 6-2 win at No. 3 over the Green Wave’s Kyla Klier and Jacqui Katz. Tulane’s Vanessa Nommensen and Nicky Stracar grabbed No. 2 doubles with a 6-1 win over Rongrong Leenabanchong and Marcelina Cichon before Tulsa took the point with a 6-4 win at No. 1 from Ksenia Laskutova and Renata Kuricova over Sade Atkinson and Naz Karagoz.
Laskutova, Cichon and Yelena Nemchen recorded straight-set singles wins to give the Golden Hurricane the victory. Laskutova downed Karagoz at No. 1 (6-2, 6-0) and Nemchen defeated Katz (6-2, 6-3) at No. 4 before Cichon clinched the victory with a win over Nommensen at No. 3 (6-2, 6-1).
Tulsa will face No. 1 Houston in The American Championship final at 2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. CT Saturday on The American Digital Network.
Doubles Competition
1. Ksenia Laskutova/Renata Kuricova (TLS) def. Sade Atkinson/Naz Karagoz (TLN), 6-4
2. Vanessa Nommensen/Nicky Stracar (TLN) def. Rongrong Leenabanchong/Marcelina Cichon (TLS), 6-1
3. Mahitha Dadireddy/Saana Saarteinen (TLS) def. Kyla Klier/Jacqui Katz (TLN), 6-2
Order of Finish: 3,2,1*
Singles Competition
1. Ksenia Laskutova (TLS) def. Naz Karagoz (TLN), 6-2, 6-0
2. Nicky Stracar (TLN) vs. Rongrong Leenabanchong (TLS), DNF
3. Marcelina Cichon (TLS) def. Vanessa Nommensen (TLN), 6-2, 6-1
4. Yelena Nemchen (TLS) def. Jacqui Katz (TLN), 6-2, 6-3
5. Meredith Maltby (TLN) vs. Saana Saarteinen (TLS), DNF
6. Kyla Klier (TLN) vs. Renata Kuricova (TLS), DNF
Order of Finish: 1,4,3*
Men’s Championship - Quarterfinals
No. 1 USF 4, No. 8 Temple 0
Top-seeded USF punched its ticket to The American Championship semifinals with a 4-0 win over Temple Friday morning at Case Tennis Center.
The Bulls took the doubles point with wins at No. 1 and No. 2. Oliver Pramming and Justin Roberts tallied a 6-0 win at No. 1 over the Owls’ Nicolas Paulus and Hicham Belkssir, followed by a 6-2 victory at No. 2 from Sasha Gozun and Vadym Kalyuzhnyy over Santiago Canete and Vineet Naran for the point.
USF won at No. 1, No. 5 and No. 6 singles for the sweep. Kalyuzhnyy defeated Stephen Ong at No. 6 (6-2, 6-1) and Roberto Cid dropped Canete at No. 1 (6-3, 6-0) before Roberts closed out the match with a win at No. 5 (6-0, 6-2) over Filip Stipcic.
USF advances to Saturday’s semifinals to face No. 5 Memphis.
Doubles Competition
1. Oliver Pramming/Justin Roberts (USF) def. Nicolas Paulus/Hicham Belkssir (TEM), 6-0
2. Sasha Gozun/Vadym Kalyuzhnyy (USF) def. Santiago Canete/Vineet Naran (TEM), 6-2
3. Ian Glessing/Ondre Cargill (TEM) vs. Roberto Cid/Ignacio Gonzalez-Muniz (USF), DNF
Order of Finish: 1,2*
Singles Competition
1. Roberto Cid (USF) def. Santiago Canete (TEM), 6-3, 6-0
2. Nicolas Paulus (TEM) vs. Oliver Pramming (USF), DNF
3. Hicham Belkssir (TEM) vs. Sasha Gozun (USF), DNF
4. Vineet Naran (TEM) vs. Ignacio Gonzalez-Muniz (USF), DNF
5. Justin Roberts (USF) def. Filip Stipcic (TEM), 6-0, 6-2
6. Vadym Kalyuzhnyy (USF) def. Stephen Ong (TEM), 6-2, 6-1
Order of Finish: 6,1,5*
No. 5 Memphis 4, No. 4 SMU 2
Fifth-seeded Memphis became the first lower seed to advance at The American Championships, as the Tigers outlasted SMU in a tightly-contested match at Case Tennis Center.
Memphis won the doubles point as two of the three contests went to a tiebreak. Connor Glennon and Kai Lemke downed Markus Kerner and Arturs Kazijevs 6-4 at No. 1 before Andrew Watson and Louis Asser grabbed the doubles point for the Tigers with a 7-6 (3) win over Arkadijs Slobodkins and Nate Lammons at No. 2.
Glennon defeated Kerner in straight sets at No. 1 (6-3, 6-0) before the Mustangs picked up points at No. 3 from Samm Butler over Andrew Watson (6-2, 6-3) and No. 5 from Slobodkins over Patrick Mayer (6-3, 6-4). Shakeel Manji won at No. 6 for Memphis against Charlie Nettlefold and Ryan Peniston clinched the match with a win at No. 2 (6-3, 7-5) over Arturs Kazijevs.
The Tigers advance to face USF in one of Saturday morning’s semifinals at Case Tennis Center.
Doubles Competition
1. Connor Glennon/Kai Lemke (MEM) def. Markus Kerner/Arturs Kazijevs (SMU), 6-4
2. Andrew Watson/Louis Asser (MEM) def. Arkadijs Slobodkins/Nate Lammons (SMU), 7-6(3)
3. Ryan Peniston/Patrick Mayer (MEM) vs. Tony Russell/Samm Butler (SMU), DNF
Order of Finish: 1,2*
Singles Competition
1. Connor Glennon (MEM) def. Markus Kerner (SMU), 6-3, 6-0
2. Ryan Peniston (MEM) def. Arturs Kazijevs (SMU), 6-3, 7-5
3. Samm Butler (SMU) def. Andrew Watson (MEM),6-2, 6-3
4. Kai Lemke (MEM) vs. Nate Lammons (SMU), DNF
5. Arkadijs Slobodkins (SMU) vs. Patrick Mayer (MEM), 6-3, 6-4
6. Shakeel Manji (MEM) def. Charlie Nettlefold (SMU), 6-3, 6-4
Order of Finish: 1,3,5,6,2
No. 3 Tulane 4, No. 6 UCF 0
Third-seeded Tulane advanced to the American Athletic Conference Championships semifinals with a 4-0 win over UCF in Tulsa.
The Green Wave opened the match by winning the doubles point with victories at No. 2 and No. 3. Constantin Schmitz and Sebastian Rey downed Kiku Aulian and Tyler Pate 6-2 at No. 3 before Alexander and Ian Van Cott picked up a 6-3 win over Mariano Porter and Jesse Flores at No. 2 for the point.
Dominik Koepfer dropped Aulina at No. 1 (6-2, 6-0) and Schmitz defeated Jose Sangroniz at No. 2 (6-1, 6-3) before Rey clinched the match with a win at No. 4 over Chris Barrus (6-3, 6-2).
Tulane will face Tulsa in one of Saturday morning’s semifinals at Case Tennis Center.
Doubles Competition
1. Chris Barrus/Inaki Espinolda (UCF) vs. Dominik Koepfer/Chi-Shan Jao (TLN), DNF
2. Alexander Van Cott/Ian Van Cott (TLN) def. Mariano Porter/Jesse Flores (UCF), 6-3
3. Constantin Schmitz/Sebastian Rey (TLN) def. Kiku Aulina/Tyler Pate (UCF), 6-2
Order of Finish: 3,2*
Singles Competition
1. Dominik Koepfer (TLN) def. Kiku Aulina (UCF), 6-2, 6-0
2. Constantin Schmitz (TLN) def. Jose Sangroniz (UCF), 6-1, 6-3
3. Inaki Espinolda (UCF) vs. Alex Van Cott (TLN), DNF
4. Sebastian Rey (TLN) def. Chris Barrus (UCF), 6-3, 6-2
5. Mariano Porter (UCF) vs. Chi-Shan Jao (TLN) - DNF
6. Jesse Flores (UCF) vs. Ian Van Cott (TLN), DNF
Order of Finish: 1,2,4*
No. 2 Tulsa 4, No. 7 East Carolina 0
Host Tulsa moved on to Saturday’s semifinals after a 4-0 win over East Carolina at Case Tennis Center.
The Golden Hurricane took the doubles point with wins at No. 1 and No. 2. Matthew Kirby and Dylan McCloskey gave Tulsa a 6-3 win at No. 2 over Colin Roller and Kasey Countee. Tulsa then clinched the doubles point with a 6-4 win at No. 1 from Or Ram-Harel and Alejandro Espejo over Tendai Tapfuma and Patriek Wolterbeek.
Ram-Harel, Kirby and Mitchell Pritchard were winners in singles play for the 4-0 win. Kirby defeated Tapfuma at No. 2 (6-2, 6-0), Pritchard downed Roller at No. 3 (6-4, 6-4) and Ram-Harel ousted Soriano at No. 1 (6-4, 6-4) for the victory.
Tulsa will face Tulane in one of Saturday morning’s semifinals at Case Tennis Center.
Doubles Competition
1. Or Ram-Harel/Alejandro Espejo (TLS) def. Tendai Tapfuma/Patriek Wolterbeek (ECU), 6-4
2. Matthew Kirby/Dylan McCloskey (TLS) def. Colin Roller/Kasey Countee (ECU), 6-3
3. Nicolas Soriano/Ross Nigro (ECU) vs. Juan Matias Gonzalez/Carlos Bautista (TLS), DNF
Order of Finish: 2,1*
Singles Competition
1. Or Ram-Harel (TLS) def. Nicolas Soriano (ECU), 6-4, 6-4
2. Matthew Kirby (TLS) def. Tendai Tapfuma (ECU), 6-2, 6-0
3. Mitchell Pritchard (TLS) def. Colin Roller (ECU), 6-4, 6-4
4. Kasey Countee (ECU) vs. Juan Matias Gonzalez (TLS), DNF
5. Patriek Wolterbeek (ECU) vs. Carlos Bautista (TLS), DNF
6. Ross Nigro (ECU) vs. Dylan McCloskey (TLS), DNF
Order of Finish: 2,3,1