Women's Tennis Edged by Temple Wednesday at Legacy, 4-3

Wednesday, March 1

Legacy Center

10 a.m.

Drexel University

Temple

Photo by: Greg Carroccio

Women's Tennis Edged by Temple Wednesday at Legacy, 4-3

3/1/2017 5:16:00 PM | Women's Tennis

PHILADELPHIA – The Drexel women's tennis team was edged Wednesday by Temple at Legacy Center, 4-3, while the men fell to the Owls, 4-0.

The loss snaps a seven-match winning streak for the women, making their record 10-2 overall this year. The men's team snaps a four-match winning streak, and their record now stands at 8-4.

"It was a tough couple of losses for us today," head coach Mehdi Rhazali said. "After a slow start, it was a little late to shift momentum back into our favor, but this outcome will make us tougher going forward. We have some time to clean up our mistakes and bounce back this weekend."

In the women's match, the Dragons could not pull out the doubles point as the Owls seized the momentum. Facing an uphill battle in singles, the Dragons fought to three wins in the middle of the lineup. Kendra Bunch outlasted Dina Karina at No. 3, 7-6 (9), 6-7 (8), 6-3. After Lea Winkler cruised past Yana Khon, 6-3, 6-0, Clary Rodriguez Cruz came up with a three-set victory over Anais Nussaume, 5-7, 6-1, 7-6 (2). The Dragons were able to force three sets in the No. 2 match, but could not pull it off for the win.

The men's team nearly stole the doubles point, falling in a tiebreak of the second and third matches. Kashyap Ashoka and Sinan Orhon combined for a 6-4 win in the top spot, which made Ashok the first ever Drexel men's player with 50 career doubles wins. With Temple holding the momentum, the Dragons could not come from behind. They were able to force two three-set matches, but they dropped one and the other went unfinished. Temple got wins at Nos. 2, 3 and 6 to secure the match victory.

Earlier in the day, Hamza Laalej as well as Ashok and Orhon were named CAA Performers of the Week. Click here for more.

The Dragons have a busy weekend on tap. On Saturday, the women's team makes the trip down 33rd Street to Penn before hosting Wagner later in the day. Both teams will then head to NJIT on Sunday.

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Women: Temple 4, Drexel 3
Singles
Alina Abdurakhimova (TU) DEF Ghita Benhadi (DU), 6-1, 6-1
Monet Stuckey-Willis (TU) DEF Honami Yazawa (DU), 4-6, 6-0, 6-2
Kendra Bunch (DU) DEF Dina Karina (TU), 7-6 (9), 6-7 (8), 6-3
Lea Winkler (DU) DEF Yana Khon (TU), 6-3, 6-0
Clary Rodriguez Cruz (DU) DEF Anais Nussaume (TU), 5-7, 6-1, 7-6 (2)
Mariana Bedon (TU) DEF Ryshena Providence (DU), 6-4, 7-6 (7)

Doubles
Willis & Khon (TU) DEF Providence & Rodriguez Cruz (DU), 6-2
Abdurakhimova & Karina (TU) DEF Benhadi & Bunch (DU), 6-4
Yazawa & Winkler (DU) unfinished Nussaume & Bedon (TU), 5-5

Men: Temple 4, Drexel 0
Singles
Hamza Laalej (DU) unfinished Artem Kapshuk (TU), 7-6 (6), 2-6, 2-1
Florian Mayer (TU) DEF Balaji Lakshmanan (DU), 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (0)
Thomas Sevel (TU) DEF Sinan Orhon (DU), 6-2, 6-3
Alex Zenonos (DU) unfinished Francisco Bohorquez (TU), 7-5, 4-5
Youssef Lahlou (DU) unfinished Eric Biscoveanu (TU)
Filip Stipcic (TU) DEF Daniil Ginzburg (DU), 6-2, 6-1

Doubles
Ashok & Orhon (DU) DEF Bohorquez & Boscoveanu (TU), 6-4
Mayer & Naran (TU) DEF Laalej & Lahlou (DU), 7-6 (5)
Kapshuk & Sevel (DU) DEF Lakshmanan & Zenonos (TU), 7-6 (5)