SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Not able to be scripted any better, the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi women's tennis team etched itself into the history books after securing its fourth straight trip to the NCAA Tournament after taking down No. 2 McNeese 4-2 in a tense Southland Conference Tournament final Sunday at the McFarlin Tennis Center.
The Islanders (23-2) become the first women's tennis team in the history of the Southland Conference to advance to the NCAA Tournament four years in a row as they four-peat the conference tournament title. They are just the second-ever tennis team in the league to do so and first since UT-Arlington's men won four straight between 1998-2001.
It marks the women's 13
th conference championship and seventh tournament title, which breaks the SLC record and extends their stance as one of the winningest programs in the Southland among any sport. Under head coach
Steve Moore, Islanders Tennis has now attained 35 championships between the men and women.
It didn't come without its challenges, as McNeese was able to start 1-0 after securing the doubles point. Steadying from the slight falter, the Islanders responded in singles including a courageous fight from freshman
Ana Veroux who clinched it after battling through injury.
"This was the best college tennis match I've ever been a part of in 30 years! I have the biggest respect for McNeese and Coach More! They brought it big time today and we had to fight like dogs the entire time! The courage Ana showed to keep playing when she could barely walk is something I will never forget! These high-character girls fought for each other and had the best team unity in the country, and that's what pulled us through today! This group is really a family and they fought for each other in the most special way! I am so grateful to God for the opportunity to coach these amazing, courageous, exceptional, character, girls! I will never forget this match," said Moore.
Senior
Valeria Cherfus evened the match from No. 4 singles where she recorded her third straight-set victory over the weekend, finishing first in each one. She dominated 6-2, 6-0 to quickly turn her attention to supporting her teammates.
Following soon after was senior
Naomi Moi McKenzie at No. 2 singles who closed out a 6-3, 6-2 victory for the 2-1 lead in the match before sophomore
Palina Saulevich grinded hard for a 6-4, 6-1 victory at No. 5 singles to extend it to 3-1 as eyes turned towards Veroux.
Veroux took her first set 6-4 at court three and was facing match point up 5-2 in the second. Though, McNeese got the break before Veroux required a medical timeout in the next game. It allowed her opponent to chip back into it and tie the set up at 6-6 but despite the shaky knee, Veroux dug deep and battled back from being down 6-4 in the tiebreak to take it 8-6 for the match victory.
After the match, Veroux was named the SLC Tournament MVP. Making the All-Tournament Team in singles was Aucagne, McKenzie, and Cherfus.
The women improve to 25-8 in SLC Tournament matches under Moore. They are 19-7 all-time over McNeese.
The Islanders will now await their destination in the NCAA Tournament following the Selection Show on Monday, April 29.
Match Results – No. 1 A&M-Corpus Christi 4, No. 2 McNeese 2
Doubles competition
1. Anastasija Adeikyte/Arina Gamretkaia (MCN) def.
Emma Aucagne/
Naomi Moi McKenzie (AMCC) 6-1
2.
Palina Saulevich/
Ana Veroux (AMCC) vs. Natalia Ballo/Maria Wang Martinez (MCN) 5-4, unfinished
3. Ai Domingo-Bernabeu/Tiana Fox (MCN) def.
Valeria Cherfus/
Kateryna Rublevska (AMCC) 6-2
Singles competition
1. Arina Gamretkaia (MCN) def.
Emma Aucagne (AMCC) 6-0, 4-6, 6-3
2.
Naomi Moi McKenzie (AMCC) def. Ai Domingo-Bernabeu (MCN) 6-3, 6-2
3.
Ana Veroux (AMCC) def. Anastasija Adeikyte (MCN) 6-4, 7-6 (8-6)
4.
Valeria Cherfus (AMCC) def. Maria Wang Martinez (MCN) 6-2, 6-0
5.
Palina Saulevich (AMCC) def. Ari Monlleo Sanchis (MCN) 6-4, 6-1
6.
Kateryna Rublevska (AMCC) vs. Tiana Fox (MCN) 6-1, 2-6, 6-6 (3-3), 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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