Women's Tennis Improves to 6-0, Beats Lehigh, 5-2 on Saturday

Saturday, February 7

Bethlehem, Pa.

11 a.m.

Drexel University

Lehigh

Photo by: Greg Carroccio

Women's Tennis Improves to 6-0, Beats Lehigh, 5-2 on Saturday

2/7/2015 7:15:00 PM | Women's Tennis

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – In the first of two weekend matches, Drexel Tennis travelled to Lehigh, as the women beat the Mountain Hawks, 5-2, while the men, 2-5.

The women move to 6-0 on the season. This is their best start to a season since starting the 2008-09 season with nine-straight dual match wins. The men are now 6-2 on the year.

"About 70 percent of our matches on the schedule will look like today; matches can go either way" head coach Mehdi Rhazali. "The women seem to dominate and take away momentum from the start, but the men are in a phase where they have to do a better job with staying in the match and play smarter in important points.

"Now we have 20 hours to regroup and get back on the court. I am looking forward to the women's winning streak and the men getting back on track."

Drexel's women began the day on a high note, sweeping the doubles action. Nicole Pivonka and Clary Rodriguez Cruz continued to prove their dominance as a duo, winning, 6-2. Erin Bowsher and Ryshena Providence, another of the Dragons' upper classman-lower classman pairs, won as well, 6-0. Lea Winkler and Kendra Bunch made quick work of their Mountain Hawk opposing duo, 6-1.

In singles play, the Dragons defeated Lehigh in four of the six matches. Bowsher jumped on Cassidy Cruz early and never looked back, winning, 6-1, 6-1. Rodriguez Cruz continued a fabulous freshman campaign, pulling out a tough, 6-3, 7-5, victory over Jamie Campisi. Winkler came out victorious with the, 6-1, 6-3, win, defeating Abby Farrell. Bunch cruised to victory, taking her match over Kristina Godau, 6-2, 6-2.

Drexel's men followed the women and fell, 2-5, in a tightly contested match.

The Dragons took the doubles point from the Mountain Hawks. Alex Fioravante and Xabier Saavedra teamed up to win 6-2. The senior duo of Badr Ouabdelmoumen and Daniel Hansen won a close match in a tiebreak, 7-6 (7).

In men's singles play, Hamza Laalej was the lone winner, taking down Colin Nardella, 6-3, 6-3. However, Drexel played three matches that went the three-set distance. Ouabdelmoumen, Fioravante and Saavedra could not come out on top of those matches, though.

The Dragons face a quick turnaround, hosting Lafayette at RiverWinds Golf and Tennis Club on Sunday night at 7 p.m.

For updates and match results, follow Drexel Tennis of Twitter and Facebook.

---

Women: Drexel 5, Lehigh 2
Singles
Christina Auyeung (LU) def. Nicole Pivonka (DU) 7-5, 6-2
Erin Bowsher (DU) def. Cassidy Cruz (LU) 6-1, 6-1
Clary Rodriguez Cruz (DU) def. Jamie Campisi (LU) 6-3, 7-5
Briana Maravich (LU) def. Ryshena Providence (DU) 6-0, 6-2
Lea Winkler (DU) def. Abby Farrell (LU) 6-1, 6-3
Kendra Bunch (DU) def. Kristina Godau (LU) 6-2, 6-2

Doubles
Pivonka & Rodriguez Cruz (DU) def. Auyueng & Maravich (LU) 6-2
Bowsher & Providence (DU) def. Cruz & Campisi (LU) 6-0
Winkler & Bunch (DU) def. Godau & Farrell (LU) 6-1

Men: Drexel 2, Lehigh 5
Singles
Ben Gilman (LU) def. Badr Ouabdelmoumen (DU) 5-7, 6-4, 6-3
Jack Peterson (LU) def. Kashyap Ashok (DU) 6-2, 6-4
Mitchell Peterson (LU) def. Alex Fioravante (DU) 6-3, 3-6, 6-4
Jeremy Kochman (LU) def. Xabier Saavedra (DU) 7-6, 2-6, 6-3
Hamza Laalej (DU) def. Colin Nardella (LU) 6-3, 6-3
Ethan Bogard (LU) def. Dan Koehler (DU) 7-5, 6-6

Doubles
Fioravante & Saavedra (DU) def. J. Peterson & Lehman (LU) 6-3
Gilman & Kochman (LU) def. Koehler & Ashok (DU) 6-4
Ouabdelmoumen & Hansen (DU) def. M. Peterson & Bogard (LU) 7-6 (7)