CORPUS CHRISTI – The Texas A&M – Corpus Christi men's and women's tennis teams cruised to victories today on Senior Day at the Thomas J. Henry Tennis Center. The No. 57 ranked men's team swept Texas-Pan American, 4-0, while the Islanders women's team blanked Incarnate Word 5-0 to improve to 6-4 in Southland Conference play.
"What an amazing day for these seniors that this incredible tennis community gave them," Director of Tennis Steve Moore said. "I say all the time that Corpus Christi is the best tennis community in the nation and I believe that even stronger after today. It's really hard to see such special kids graduate.
"Peter Nagy is maybe the most motivated and disciplined guy I have coached, and is such a high-character good guy. Chelsea Horan has such a great heart and is such a great teammate, and as high character of a player a coach could ever ask for. Venesa Figueroa loves the team with all of her heart and would do anything for her teammates. Both of those girls have worked so hard to come back from major injuries."
The women's team (12-8, 6-4 SLC) came out strong in doubles play to take a 1-0 lead over the Cardinals (2-21, 0-11 SLC). The freshman-senior duo of Horan and Jelena Dzinic breezed to an 8-1 win over Matea Zemunik and Antea Dedic at No. 2 doubles. The Islanders then clinched the point in the No. 1 slot after junior Celia Rodriguez and Judit Vives downed Rachel Sadiq and Sarah Savedra, 8-3.
A&M - Corpus Christi carried over its momentum into singles play to earn four straight-set singles wins. Junior Maider Martin started things off with a 6-2, 6-0 win over Malisa Vatanadilok at No. 4 singles to win her ninth consecutive match. She has tallied a 9-1 record in Southland play this season and a 16-3 overall mark in the No. 4 slot. Sophomore Kerry Galhos kept things rolling with a 6-0, 6-1 victory over Dedic at No. 6 singles before Rodriguez clinched the match at No. 3 singles. The junior topped Savedra, 6-1, 6-1 to win her eight straight match. Rodriguez improved to 8-1 in Southland play while improving to 12-0 in the No. 3 spot.
Horan then tacked on the Islanders fifth and final point of the day with a straight-set win at No. 5 singles. She defeated Taryn Strahl, 6-0, 6-1 to improve to 5-3 in the conference.
The men's team took care of business as well in singles play with three straight-set singles wins after securing the doubles point.
The Islanders (17-6) also put together a solid performance in doubles action over the Broncs (9-12) as they clinched wins on courts one and two to garner the point. Junior Guillaume Rauseo and sophomore Kevin Bettendroffer teamed up for an 8-4 win at No. 2 doubles over Ethan Ammon and Hector Ramirez. The Islanders' tandem of Nagy and freshman Arthur Bedel then edged out Juan Cruz Soria and Koby Jansen, 8-6, in the No. 1 slot to earn the doubles point for the Islanders.
Bettendroffer earned his eighth straight match with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Ramirez in No. 2 singles to give the Islanders a 2-0 lead. The sophomore improved to 13-4 in the No. 2 slot. Sophomore Paul Cook followed suit with a 6-2, 6-2 victory at No. 6 singles over Ammon for the Islanders' third point of the day. The Islanders then secured the match when junior Ricardo Mayagoitia recorded a 6-1, 6-3 straight-set win over Elliot Johnstone in the No. 4 spot. It marked his third straight win in No. 4 singles and his 13th overall win of the season.
No. 97 ranked Nagy, who is the two-time Southland Conference Player of the Year was battling Cruz Soria at No. 1 singles when the match was clinched. Nagy dropped the first set 6-4, before battling back to win a 6-2 second set. Nagy is currently on a five-match winning streak and is just two career wins shy of matching Associate Head Coach Goncalo Figueiredo's program-best 67 wins.
"Just big respect for these three seniors," Moore added. "They really represent the culture and family that Islanders Tennis stands for. This team loves Peter, Chelsea and Venesa and they are part of the Islanders family always."
The women's team will conclude the regular season on Monday, April 20 in Belton, Texas against Central Arkansas at 11 a.m. while the men's team will prepare for the Southland Conference Tournament hosted by Lamar in Beaumont, Texas on April 24-26.
For all the latest on Islanders Tennis, like the team on Facebook (IslandersTennis) and follow them on Twitter and Instagram (@IslandersTennis). Fans can also receive updates on both teams by downloading the Islanders Front Row App at GoIslanders.com/frontrow.
Women's Tennis Match Results
Incarnate Word vs. Texas A&M - Corpus Christi
4/19/2015 at Corpus Christi, Texas
Texas A&M - Corpus Christi 5, Incarnate Word 0
Singles competition
1. Jelena Dzinic (AMCC) vs. Rachel Sadiq (UIW) 5-5, unfinished
2. Judit Vives (AMCC) vs. Matea Zemunik (UIW) 6-3, 1-1, unfinished
3. Celia Rodriguez (AMCC) def. Sarah Savedra (UIW) 6-1, 6-1
4. Maider Martin (AMCC) def. Malisa Vatanadilok (UIW) 6-2, 6-0
5. Chelsea Horan (AMCC) def. Taryn Strahl (UIW) 6-0, 6-1
6. Kerry Galhos (AMCC) def. Antea Dedic (UIW) 6-0, 6-1
Doubles competition
1. Celia Rodriguez/Judit Vives (AMCC) def. Rachel Sadiq/Sarah Savedra (UIW) 8-3
2. Chelsea Horan/Jelena Dzinic (AMCC) def. Matea Zemunik/Antea Dedic (UIW) 8-1
3. Maider Martin/Venesa Figueroa (AMCC) vs. Malisa Vatanadilok/Taryn Strahl (UIW) 5-7, unfinished
Match Notes:
Incarnate Word 2-21, 0-11 SLC
Texas A&M - Corpus Christi 12-8, 6-4 SLC
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1); Singles (4,6,3,5)
Men's Tennis Match Results
Texas-Pan American vs. Texas A&M - Corpus Christi
4/19/2015 at Corpus Christi, Texas
#57 Texas A&M - Corpus Christi 4, Texas-Pan American 0
Singles competition
1. #97 Peter Nagy (AMCC) vs. Juan Cruz Soria (UTPA) 4-6, 6-2, unfinished
2. Kevin Bettendroffer (AMCC) def. Hector Ramirez (UTPA) 6-4, 6-1
3. Guillaume Rauseo (AMCC) vs. Koby Jansen (UTPA) 4-6, 3-4, unfinished
4. Ricardo Mayagoitia (AMCC) def. Elliot Johnstone (UTPA) 6-1, 6-3
5. Javier Pujol (AMCC) vs. Miguel Alvarez-Hevia (UTPA) 7-5, 5-0, unfinished
6. Paul Cook (AMCC) def. Ethan Ammon (UTPA) 6-2, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. Peter Nagy/Arthur Bedel (AMCC) def. Juan Cruz Soria/Koby Jansen (UTPA) 8-6
2. Kevin Bettendroffer/Guillaume Rauseo (AMCC) def. Ethan Ammon/Hector Ramirez (UTPA) 8-4
3. Ricardo Mayagoitia/Paul Cook (AMCC) vs. Nikola Crvelin/Elliot Johnstone (UTPA) 7-4, unfinished
Match Notes:
Texas-Pan American 9-12
Texas A&M - Corpus Christi 17-6; National ranking #57
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1); Singles (2,6,4)
