SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Securing its spot in the Southland Conference Tournament finals once again, the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi women's tennis team jumped on No. 5 UIW early and never looked back for a 4-0 win in the semifinals Saturday at the McFarlin Tennis Center.
The Islanders (22-2) have yet to drop a set in the 2024 conference tournament, helping then cruise to another 4-0 victory this time over No. 5 UIW in the semifinals. It sends A&M-Corpus Christi to the finals against No. 2 McNeese, set for Sunday at 10 a.m. on ESPN+.
There, the women will have the chance to win their fourth straight tournament title for a trip to the NCAA Tournament. It would be the first time in conference history that a team won four tournaments in a row.
"I am just so proud of the heart and fight of our girls! The senior leaders really led by action and example and the younger girls really showed up to fight! Big credit to Incarnate Word and Coach Courtney, they had an amazing season and overcame a lot of adversity! But I am so proud of the heart, grit, and character our girls showed! They came fully committed to our process and when things didn't always go our way, they stayed with their process and no one bailed out!" said head coach
Steve Moore.
Doubles came easier today for the Islanders, who seemed to completely get rid of any tournament jitters from the previous day as seniors
Valeria Cherfus and
Kateryna Rublevska made a statement at No. 3 doubles with a 6-1 decision before sophomore
Palina Saulevich and freshman
Ana Veroux secured the point with a 6-3 win at No. 2 doubles.
Seniors
Emma Aucagne and
Naomi Moi McKenzie, who were selected to the All-Conference First Team at No. 1 doubles, was leading 5-2 before the doubles point was decided.
Cherfus then jumped out to a 6-1, 6-2 win at No. 4 singles, securing the Islanders' first singles point for the second match in a row. She is 19-0 all-time against conference opponents, never having dropped a set.
Following immediately suit was Saulevich who notched her first tournament win of the weekend with a 6-0, 6-3 victory at No. 5 singles. From there, it was once again a race to see which court would make the deciding blow and this time it was Aucagne who clinched the match after a 6-2, 6-1 decision at No. 1 singles.
Aucagne and Cherfus are now 2-0 in singles play in the tournament while Saulevich/Veroux move to 2-0 in doubles play.
The women improve to 24-8 in SLC Tournament matches under Moore. The Islanders are now also 8-2 all-time in SLC semifinal matches.
The Islanders will now fight for their 13
th conference championship and seventh tournament title on the women's side to extend their stance as one of the winningest programs in the Southland Conference among any sport. As a tennis program, the dynasty will look to extend to 35 championships under Moore, a 14-time SLC Coach of the Year.
Match Results – No. 1 A&M-Corpus Christi 4, No. 5 UIW 0
Doubles competition
1.
Emma Aucagne/
Naomi Moi McKenzie (AMCC) vs. Isid Hernandez Leon/Sofia Franco Salcedo (UIW) 5-2, unfinished
2.
Palina Saulevich/
Ana Veroux (AMCC) def. Estefania Gonzalez/Ine Lamprecht (UIW) 6-3
3.
Valeria Cherfus/
Kateryna Rublevska (AMCC) def. Lyric Bonilla/Jordyn Isaak (UIW) 6-1
Singles competition
1.
Emma Aucagne (AMCC) def. Sofia Franco Salcedo (UIW) 6-2, 6-1
2.
Naomi Moi McKenzie (AMCC) vs. Estefania Gonzalez (UIW) 6-1, 5-3, unfinished
3.
Ana Veroux (AMCC) vs. Isid Hernandez Leon (UIW) 6-4, 1-3, unfinished
4.
Valeria Cherfus (AMCC) def. Ine Lamprecht (UIW) 6-1, 6-2
5.
Palina Saulevich (AMCC) def. McKenzy Byfield (UIW) 6-0, 6-3
6.
Kateryna Rublevska (AMCC) vs. Lyric Bonilla (UIW) 6-2, 5-0, unfinished
A&M-Corpus Christi Tennis
- 16 NCAA Tournaments
- 34 SLC Championships
- 4 Top-40 National Rankings
- 3.0 GPA 41 Straight Semesters
- Islanders have received a No. 3 seed at the NCAA Tournament three times
- Women's tennis has cracked the ITA top-75 national rankings three times
- Men's tennis has cracked the ITA national rankings 10 consecutive years
- Ranked nationally in NCAA DI as high as No. 35 for the men and No. 60 for the women
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