Drexel University Athletics
Drexel University
La Salle
Tennis Opens Season Saturday with Wins over La Salle and St. Francis (N.Y.)
1/21/2017 6:42:00 PM | Men's Tennis
PHILADELPHIA – Drexel Tennis started the 2017 season off strong Saturday at the Armory as the women's team swept La Salle, 4-0, the men's team beat the Explorers, 5-1, and both teams swept St. Francis (N.Y.), 4-0. With the victories, both Drexel teams moved to 2-0 in the early going.
The men's team saw the women's team's morning sweep and matched them with a win of their own against the Explorers, 5-1. To take home the doubles point after dropping the top match, the Dragons got a win from Sinan Orhon and Kashyap Ashok by a score of 6-1 in the second spot, followed by Balaji Lakshmanan and Alex Zenonos winning in the third, 7-5.
In singles play, the Dragons' men finished out the victory with wins in Nos. 2-5 in the lineup. In the second ladder position, Orhon came away with a 6-0, 6-2 win, followed by Lakshmanan at No. 3 with a 6-1, 6-4 victory. Closing out the team win were the two freshmen, Youssef Lahlou and Zenonos, getting their first match-play wins of their careers. Lahlou fought to a three-set win, 6-4, 3-6, 10-4, while Zenonos closed out a 6-2, 6-2 straight-set win.
The day began with the Dragons' women coming away with a 4-0 win over the Explorers. First, Drexel secured the doubles point getting wins from the duo of Ryshena Providence and Clary Rodriguez Cruz in the top spot, 6-1, while in the second spot Anisiya Simpson and Jennifer White teamed up for a 6-1 win of their own.
In singles play against La Salle, the Dragons completed the sweep of their city opponent from Broad and Olney. With the Explorers conceding the sixth position, the Dragons cruised to two wins and the match. Honami Yazawa earned a 6-1, 6-2 win at No. 2, while Fiorella Coria put away her match at No. 5 with ease, 6-0, 6-1.
In the afternoon, the Dragons' men closed out a long day of tennis at the Armory, beating the Terriers, 4-0. Doubles play featured the Dragons cruising to the point with wins again from Ashok and Orhon, 6-0, as well as Lakshmanan and Zenonos, 6-1. The two doubles wins on the day gave Ashok sole possession of second all-time in Drexel men's program history in doubles wins with 45, passing Badr Ouabdelmoumen. In singles play, the Dragons put away the Terriers with wins from Laalej, 6-4, 6-2; Orhon, 6-2, 6-1; and Lakshmanan, 6-1, 6-3, in the top half of the draw to put away the match. The win for Laalej gave him 36 in his career, tying him with his brother, Omar, for fifth in Drexel men's history.
The afternoon began with a sweep Dragons' women's squad over the visiting St. Francis (N.Y.). Drexel's women breezed to the doubles point getting wins from Ghita Benhadi and Kendra Bunch, 6-1 in the top spot, while Simpson and White earned their second of the day, 6-0. In singles play, it was more of the same for the Dragons. The top half of the draw took care of the match, featuring wins from Yazawa by a score of 6-0, 6-0, Benhadi with a final tally of 6-0, 6-1, and Bunch winning, 6-1, 6-1.
Drexel's women return to action Wednesday when they host Fordham at Legacy Center at 10:30 a.m., while the men will return to the court Friday when both teams host Georgetown at RiverWinds at 5:30 p.m.
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Women: Drexel 4, La Salle 0
Singles
Ghita Benhadi (DU) unfinished Ali Snyder (LAS), 7-6 (7-5)
Honami Yazawa (DU) DEF Ally Santarelli (LAS), 6-1, 6-2
Kendra Bunch (DU) unfinished Jayla Smith (LAS), 5-1
Lea Winkler (DU) unfinished Jade Smith (LAS)
Fiorella Coria (DU) DEF Maaswi Mahlaton (LAS), 6-0, 6-1
Anisiya Simpson (DU) by forfeit
Doubles
Rodriguez Cruz & Providence (DU) DEF Snyder & Santarelli (LAS), 6-1
Simpson & White (DU) DEF Smith & Smith (LAS), 6-1
Winkler & Yazawa (DU) by forfeit
Men: Drexel 5, La Salle 1
Singles
Francesco Mowrey (LAS) DEF Hamza Laalej (DU), 6-1, 6-4
Sinan Orhon (DU) DEF Brian Balico (LAS), 6-0, 6-2
Balaji Lakshmanan (DU) DEF Joe DiOrio (LAS), 6-1, 6-4
Youssef Lahlou (DU) DEF Tomas Christian (LAS), 6-4, 3-6, 10-4
Alex Zenonos (DU) DEF Patrick Pasqual (LAS), 6-2, 6-2
Daniil Ginzburg (DU) unfinished Mark Robinson (LAS), 6-3, 2-0
Doubles
Mowrey & Christian (LAS) DEF Laalej & Lahlou (DU), 6-3
Orhon & Ashok (DU) DEF Balico & Robinson (LAS), 6-1
Lakshmanan & Zenenos (DU) DEF DiOrio & Ward (LAS), 7-5
Women: Drexel 4, St. Francis (N.Y.) 0
Singles
Honami Yazawa (DU) DEF Laura Dimante (SFC), 6-0, 6-0
Ghita Benhadi (DU) DEF Sara Bogdanovic (SFC), 6-0, 6-1
Kendra Bunch (DU) DEF Runsi Patro (SFC), 6-1, 6-1
Lea Winkler (DU) unplayed Andrea Rojo (SFC)
Ryshena Providence (DU) unplayed Akyi Lenjro (SFC)
Fiorella Coria (DU) unplayed Kimera Tanko (SFC)
Doubles
Benhadi & Bunch (DU) DEF Bogdanovic & Patro (SFC), 6-1
Providence & Rodriguez Cruz (DU) unfinished Dimante & Rojo (SFC), 4-1
Simpson & White (DU) DEF Tanko & Lenjro (SFC), 6-0
Men: Drexel 4, St. Francis (N.Y.) 0
Singles
Hamza Laalej (DU) DEF Guillermo Artiz (SFC), 6-4, 6-2
Sinan Orhon (DU) DEF Alejandro Rodruejo (SFC), 6-2, 6-1
Balaji Lakshmanan (DU) DEF Javier Navarro (SFC), 6-1, 6-3
Youssef Lahlou (DU) unfinished Pablo Blasco Torres (SFC), 0-1
Daniil Ginzburg (DU) unfinished Stefan Gmijovic (SFC)
Vuk Subotic (DU) unfinished Tim Cecere (SFC)
Doubles
Laalej & Lahlou (DU) unfinished Rodruejo & Navarro (SFC), 5-0
Orhon & Ashok (DU) DEF Artiz & Torres (SFC), 6-0
Lakshmanan & Zenonos (DU) DEF Gmijovic & Tskhakaia (SFC), 6-1
Players Mentioned
