Sunday, April 5
Hempstead, N.Y.
12 p.m.
Drexel University
6
at
1
Hofstra
Photo by: Greg Carroccio
Women's Tennis Beats Hofstra Sunday, Ties Program Record for Wins
4/5/2015 5:53:00 PM | Women's Tennis
HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. – Drexel Tennis' women improved to 14-1 on the season, tying the program's high for most wins in a season, beating Hofstra on the road, 6-1. Drexel's men fell, 2-5, to the Pride.
The women's 14 wins ties the most wins in a single season, a mark set when the team was 14-4 in 2008-09. The men are now 11-9 on the season with one match remaining.
"The women fought hard and played in windy conditions but adjusted well and played smart," head coach Mehdi Rhazali said. "The energy level was good, and they battled and took care of business.
"The men just didn't have a good day, and you can't say that in tennis. We can't afford to make history one day and then lose to a team we've historically played very well against. We weren't the only team that had to play through windy conditions. Hofstra faced the same conditions. We had slow starts and let some opportunities go by, and it affected us."
Drexel's women picked up a 6-1 win over the Pride, getting strong performances across the board. The Dragons set the tone early, earning the doubles point behind wins from the duo of Nicole Pivonka and Clary Rodriguez Cruz as well as Lea Winkler and Kendra Bunch. Pivonka and Rodriguez Cruz improved to 16-4 as a tandem with their 8-5 win, while Winkler and Bunch cruised to a 8-1 victory.
In singles play, Pivonka and Rodriguez Cruz continued to roll. The senior won, 6-2, 6-1, for her 12th win of the year, while Rodriguez Cruz won from the No. 3 spot, 6-3, 6-3. The freshman is now 16-4 in her first collegiate campaign.
The back end of the singles draw spelled even more success for the Blue and Gold. Winkler, Fiorella Coria and Kendra Bunch all earned wins to give the Dragons to match win. Winkler won, 6-3, 6-4, while Coria and Bunch coasted to respective 6-0, 6-3 and 6-1, 6-1 wins.
Drexel's men struggled with tough weather conditions in their loss to the Pride. The Dragons picked up a win in doubles play, and the back half of their singles line-up continued its string of strong play. At third doubles, Badr Ouabdelmoumen and Daniel Hansen overpowered their opponent en route to an 8-0 shutout win.
In singles play, Drexel picked up wins from Hamza Laalej and Dan Koehler in the fifth and sixth spots, respectively. Laalej won, 6-4, 6-4, improving his freshman season record to an impressive 14-2 overall. Koehler was victorious with a dominating 6-0, 6-2 win. Ouabdelmoumen was able to win the first set but dropped the next two, falling, 6-3, 3-6, 5-7.
The Dragons return to action Friday as the women travel to take on Towson. Both teams will wrap up their regular seasons Sunday, April 12 against Delaware at Vidas Courts on Senior Day.
Follow Drexel Tennis on Twitter and Facebook for updates during the week.
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Women: Drexel 6, Hofstra 1
Singles
Nicole Pivonka (DU) def. Sarah Bowen (HU) 6-2, 6-1
Louise Lopez (HU) def. Erin Bowsher (DU) 7-5, 6-3
Clary Rodriguez Cruz (DU) def. Carmen Pestano (HU) 6-3, 6-3
Lea Winkler (DU) def. Giulia Leone (HU) 6-3, 6-4
Fiorella Coria (DU) def. Bianca Derrick (HU) 6-0, 6-3
Kendra Bunch (DU) def. Bianca Posa (HU) 6-1, 6-1
Doubles
Pivonka & Rodriguez Cruz (DU) def. Bowen & Pestano (HU) 8-5
Lopez & Derrick (HU) def. Bowsher & Providence (DU) 8-4
Winkler & Bunch (DU) def. Leone & Posa (HU) 8-1
Men: Drexel 2, Hofstra 5
Singles
Beau Wills (HU) def. Badr Ouabdelmoumen (DU) 3-6, 6-3, 7-5
Ari Richman (HU) def. Kashyap Ashok (DU) 6-3, 6-4
Niko Vulinovich (HU) def. Xabier Saavedra (DU) 6-4, 6-4
Ricky Hendler (HU) def. Alex Fioravante (DU) 6-4, 7-6 (5)
Hamza Laalej (DU) def. Leonardo Pires (HU) 6-4, 6-4
Dan Koehler (DU) def. Stuart Macleod (HU) 6-0, 6-2
Doubles
Vulinovich & Wills (HU) def. Fioravante & Saavedra (DU) 8-2
Richman & Hender (HU) def. Ashok & Koehler (DU) 8-7 (5)
Ouabdelmoumen & Hansen (DU) def. Pires & Macleod (HU) 8-0
The women's 14 wins ties the most wins in a single season, a mark set when the team was 14-4 in 2008-09. The men are now 11-9 on the season with one match remaining.
"The women fought hard and played in windy conditions but adjusted well and played smart," head coach Mehdi Rhazali said. "The energy level was good, and they battled and took care of business.
"The men just didn't have a good day, and you can't say that in tennis. We can't afford to make history one day and then lose to a team we've historically played very well against. We weren't the only team that had to play through windy conditions. Hofstra faced the same conditions. We had slow starts and let some opportunities go by, and it affected us."
Drexel's women picked up a 6-1 win over the Pride, getting strong performances across the board. The Dragons set the tone early, earning the doubles point behind wins from the duo of Nicole Pivonka and Clary Rodriguez Cruz as well as Lea Winkler and Kendra Bunch. Pivonka and Rodriguez Cruz improved to 16-4 as a tandem with their 8-5 win, while Winkler and Bunch cruised to a 8-1 victory.
In singles play, Pivonka and Rodriguez Cruz continued to roll. The senior won, 6-2, 6-1, for her 12th win of the year, while Rodriguez Cruz won from the No. 3 spot, 6-3, 6-3. The freshman is now 16-4 in her first collegiate campaign.
The back end of the singles draw spelled even more success for the Blue and Gold. Winkler, Fiorella Coria and Kendra Bunch all earned wins to give the Dragons to match win. Winkler won, 6-3, 6-4, while Coria and Bunch coasted to respective 6-0, 6-3 and 6-1, 6-1 wins.
Drexel's men struggled with tough weather conditions in their loss to the Pride. The Dragons picked up a win in doubles play, and the back half of their singles line-up continued its string of strong play. At third doubles, Badr Ouabdelmoumen and Daniel Hansen overpowered their opponent en route to an 8-0 shutout win.
In singles play, Drexel picked up wins from Hamza Laalej and Dan Koehler in the fifth and sixth spots, respectively. Laalej won, 6-4, 6-4, improving his freshman season record to an impressive 14-2 overall. Koehler was victorious with a dominating 6-0, 6-2 win. Ouabdelmoumen was able to win the first set but dropped the next two, falling, 6-3, 3-6, 5-7.
The Dragons return to action Friday as the women travel to take on Towson. Both teams will wrap up their regular seasons Sunday, April 12 against Delaware at Vidas Courts on Senior Day.
Follow Drexel Tennis on Twitter and Facebook for updates during the week.
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Women: Drexel 6, Hofstra 1
Singles
Nicole Pivonka (DU) def. Sarah Bowen (HU) 6-2, 6-1
Louise Lopez (HU) def. Erin Bowsher (DU) 7-5, 6-3
Clary Rodriguez Cruz (DU) def. Carmen Pestano (HU) 6-3, 6-3
Lea Winkler (DU) def. Giulia Leone (HU) 6-3, 6-4
Fiorella Coria (DU) def. Bianca Derrick (HU) 6-0, 6-3
Kendra Bunch (DU) def. Bianca Posa (HU) 6-1, 6-1
Doubles
Pivonka & Rodriguez Cruz (DU) def. Bowen & Pestano (HU) 8-5
Lopez & Derrick (HU) def. Bowsher & Providence (DU) 8-4
Winkler & Bunch (DU) def. Leone & Posa (HU) 8-1
Men: Drexel 2, Hofstra 5
Singles
Beau Wills (HU) def. Badr Ouabdelmoumen (DU) 3-6, 6-3, 7-5
Ari Richman (HU) def. Kashyap Ashok (DU) 6-3, 6-4
Niko Vulinovich (HU) def. Xabier Saavedra (DU) 6-4, 6-4
Ricky Hendler (HU) def. Alex Fioravante (DU) 6-4, 7-6 (5)
Hamza Laalej (DU) def. Leonardo Pires (HU) 6-4, 6-4
Dan Koehler (DU) def. Stuart Macleod (HU) 6-0, 6-2
Doubles
Vulinovich & Wills (HU) def. Fioravante & Saavedra (DU) 8-2
Richman & Hender (HU) def. Ashok & Koehler (DU) 8-7 (5)
Ouabdelmoumen & Hansen (DU) def. Pires & Macleod (HU) 8-0
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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