Women's Tennis Remains Unbeaten, Men Fall Narrowly at Lehigh

Saturday, February 6

Bethlehem, Pa.

11 a.m.

Drexel University

Lehigh

Photo by: Greg Carroccio

Women's Tennis Remains Unbeaten, Men Fall Narrowly at Lehigh

2/6/2016 3:11:00 PM | Women's Tennis

BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- Drexel women's tennis continued its unbeaten 2015-16 campaign Saturday with a 5-2 win at Lehigh, while men's tennis fell to the Mountain Hawks in a tight 4-3 match.

The Dragons' women now improve to 4-0 on the season, while the men hold a 4-1 mark on the year. Drexel's women swept the doubles matches and got solid play from the bottom half of the singles ladder to take home the victory. On the men's side, the Dragons won a crucial doubles point, but could not follow through outside of the top two singles spots in the loss.

"The women played well today," head coach Mehdi Rhazali said. " We were focused and played important points with a high percentage and good decision making.

"The men had great energy in winning the doubles point. The singles matches were all tight. We fought hard but really needed to take the mental toughness a step further to execute in the pressure points."

Drexel's women gained the early momentum after winning the doubles point. Honami Yazawa and Clary Rodriguez Cruz continued a successful pairing, winning at No.1, right after Lea Winkler and Kendra Bunch continued their dominance at No. 2. Erin Bowsher and Ryshena Providence brought home the doubles sweep with the win at No. 3.

In singles play, Winkler started the Dragons off with a win at the No. 4 spot, cruising to a 6-1, 6-0 win. Yazawa followed her teammate, continuing her undefeated dual-play season and taking a tough three-set match, 6-2, 4-6, 7-5. At No. 5, Bunch earned the Dragons the match with a straight-set, 7-5, 6-2, win at No.5. Ryshena Providence would win the final singles batch for the Dragons at No. 6, 8-2.

The men could not take home the match against the Mountain after winning the doubles point. After the Dragons fell at No. 1, Kashyap Ashok and Sinan Orhon evened doubled play with a 6-4 win at No. 3. With the point hanging in the balance, Balaji Lakshmanan and Hamza Laalej took home the point for Drexel with a tough 7-6 (2) win at No. 2.

In men's singles play, after a singles loss at No.3, Xabier Saavedra picked up a straight-sets win at No. 1, 6-2, 6-3. The Dragons and the Mountain Hawks again traded points. After Drexel lost the No. 4 point, Andrew Sinai won at No. 2 in a tough three-setter, 7-5, 2-6, 7-6. However, the Dragons lost at Nos. 5 and 6 to drop the match overall, 4-3.

The Dragons' women (4-0) will put their unblemished record on the line tomorrow afternoon at Penn. Drexel's men will return to action next weekend when the team travels up to Connecticut to take on Fairfield and Sacred Heart.

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Drexel 5, Lehigh 2
Singles
Honami Yazawa (DU) DEF Cassidy Cruz (LEH), 6-2, 4-6, 7-5
Grace Lin (LEH) DEF Clary Rodriguez Cruz (DU), 6-4, 5-7, 6-3
Briana Maravich (LEH) DEF Erin Bowsher (DU), 6-2, 2-6, 7-5
Lea Winkler (DU) DEF Jamie Campisi (LEH), 6-1, 6-0
Kendra Bunch (DU) DEF Abby Duddy (LEH), 7-5, 6-2
Ryshena Providence (DU) DEF Kristin Godau (LEH), 8-2
Order of Finish: 4, 1, 5, 2, 3, 6

Doubles
Yazawa & Rodriguez Cruz (DU) DEF Auyeung & Campisi (LEH), 6-3
Bunch & Winkler (DU) DEF Cruz & Maravich (LEH), 6-1
Bowsher & Providence (DU) DEF Duddy& Godau (LEH), 6-3
Order of Finish: 2, 1, 3

Lehigh 4, Drexel 3
Singles
Xabier Saavedra (DU) DEF Jeremy Kochman (LEH), 6-2, 6-3
Andrew Sinai (DU) DEF Bryant Born (LEH), 7-5, 2-6, 7-6
Jack Petersen (LEH) DEF Balaji Lakshmanan (DU), 6-2, 6-3
Christopher Auteri (LEH) DEF Hamza Laalej (DU), 7-6, 6-3
George Cooper (LEH) DEF Sinan Orhon (DU), 7-6 (4), 6-1
Ethan Bogard (LEH) DEF Kashyap Ashok (DU), 6-2, 6-2
Order of Finish: 3, 1, 4, 2, 6, 5

Doubles
Kochman & Lehman (LEH) DEF Sinai & Subotic (DU) 6-3
Lakshmanan & Laalej (DU) DEF Born & Cooper (LEH) 7-6 (2)
Ashok & Orhon (DU) DEF Petersen & Auteri (LEH) 6-4
Order of Finish: 1, 3, 2