HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Alabama A&M (4-6, 4-3 SWAC) fell 6-1 to Western Kentucky (5-12, 1-4 C-USA) in non-conference action in an NCAA Division I women's tennis match on Sunday, April 11.
The Hilltoppers came out strong in doubles play as the No. 2 tandem of Laura Bernardos and Samantha Martinez posted a 6-0 win over junior
India Woods (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) and sophomore
Camila Ruiz Diaz (Asuncion, Paraguay). They would quickly take the doubles point as juniors
Jasmine Boyd (Marion, Ind.) and
Anita Bozhko (Minsk, Belarus) fell 6-1 to Lisa Friess and Cora-Lynn von Dungern at the top spot.
In singles play, sophomore Camilla Ruiz Diaz (Asuncion, Paraguay) dropped a 6-0, 6-2 decision to Tristen Bryant-Otake at No. 4 and sophomore
Neha Ghare (Pune, India) fell by that same score at the fifth spot. Bernardos would then put the match away with a 6-2, 6-1 decision over Bozhko at the No. 2 position.
Following a 6-1, 6-3 defeat by junior
Ximena Duarte Ramirez (Asuncion, Paraguay) to Lauren Joch at No. 3, the Bulldogs put together their two best matches at either end of the lineup. At No. 6, senior
Ayana Rengiil (Koror, Palau) dropped the opening set 6-3 to Alexis Cramer before bouncing back for a 6-2 decision to force a tiebreak, one that she would claim by a 10-7 margin for A&M's first point of the day.
At the top spot, Boyd took the first set from von Dungern by a 6-4 score before falling 6-2 in the second. In her tiebreak she would drop a 10-6 decision to close out the match.
Alabama A&M will be back in action as they head to New Orleans, Louisiana for the 2021 Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Tournament. This year's tournament will run from Friday, April 16 through Sunday, April 18.
WESTERN KENTUCKY 6, ALABAMA A&M 1
Doubles
No. 1 Lisa Friess/Cora-Lynn von Dungern (WKU) def.
Jasmine Boyd/
Anita Bozhko (AAMU) 6-1
No. 2. Laura Bernardos/Samantha Martinez (WKU) def.
Camila Ruiz Diaz/
India Woods (AAMU) 6-0
No. 3.
Ximena Duarte Ramirez/
Nthabiseng Mashego (AAMU) vs. Tristen Bryant-Otake/Lauren Joch (WKU) 1-4 (UF)
Order of Finish: 2, 1
Singles
No. 1 Cora-Lynn von Dungern (WKU) def.
Jasmine Boyd (AAMU) 4-6, 6-2, 1-0 (10-6)
2. Laura Bernardos (WKU) def.
Anita Bozhko (AAMU) 6-2, 6-1
3. Lauren Joch (WKU) def. Ximena DuarteRamirez (AAMU) 6-1, 6-3
4. Tristen Bryant-Otake (WKU) def.
Camila Ruiz Diaz (AAMU) 6-0, 6-2
5. Lisa Friess (WKU) def.
Neha Ghare (AAMU) 6-0, 6-2
6.
Ayana Rengiil (AAMU) def. Alexis Cramer (WKU) 3-6, 6-2, 1-0 (10-7)
Order of Finish: 4, 5,2, 3, 6, 1
