LAKE NONA, Fla.- The No. 22 Southeastern University women's tennis team looked impressive in their 2020 Sun Conference opener, downing the Warner University Royals 7-0 at the USTA National Campus.
After a Warner forfeit at the number three line of doubles, the Fire needed just one match-up to go their way in order to earn the point.
The duo of senior
Sharienne Ricardo and freshman Nadezda Bijelic provided the performance SEU needed, notching a 6-0 sweep at the No. 2 position to give Southeastern a 1-0 lead over Warner.
Another Royals' forfeit, this one at the No. 6 singles spot, put the Fire ahead 2-0.
Sophomore
Priscila Baptista (No. 5) and junior
Angelique Myrtil (No. 4) made quick work of their opponents, both winning in two sets and both without dropping a game. With those two wins, the Fire cemented the match victory with a 4-0 lead.
As the Fire and the Royals played out the remainder of the matches, sophomore
Beatrice Letizia scored a two-set win at No. 2 (6-1, 6-1).
Bijelic scored the first singles' win of her collegiate career versus Warner, defeating her opponent at the third line in a 10-point tiebreaker 10-7 after splitting the first two sets.
"I felt much more comfortable today. I am getting used to the hard court and the weather." Commented Bijelic. "From the first set I felt like I could do whatever I wanted with the ball."
Ricardo capped off the SEU shutout with another 10-point tiebreaker win 10-6 in the No. 1 position, her second-consecutive tiebreaker win.
"We played phenomenal in singles. We started playing more of our game," shared SEU head coach
Drew Dickens. "It's still just our second match so there is still plenty to improve upon but it was a great victory over a solid Warner team."
Southeastern looks to earn another TSC victory this Saturday at the Beerman Family Tennis Complex in Lakeland versus St. Thomas. Match time is set for 12:00 p.m.
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