Marquette Sweeps Tennis Weekly Awards
BIG EAST Men’s Tennis Athlete of the Week
Alvaro Verdu, Marquette, So.
Verdu garners the conferences weekly award for a second time this season after sealing Marquette’s 4-3 win over Creighton with 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 victory at No. 1 singles. The sophomore also posted doubles wins against UMKC and Creighton. With the victories Marquette extends to an eight-match winning streak.
BIG EAST Women’s Tennis Athlete of the Week
Paula Tormos, Marquette, Jr.
Tormos was instrumental in a competitive week for Marquette as the Golden Eagles captured wins over Butler (7-0) and Indiana (4-2). Against the Bulldogs, the junior helped MU stay perfect with 6-3, 6-1 victory over Jocelyn Koester at the No.3 spot. Against the Hoosiers, Tormos, paired with Silvia Ambrosio defeated the No. 41 ranked duo of Madison Appel and Kim Schmider, 7-6, 7-5. Tormos would go on to clinch Marquette’s win in singles action with a three-set victory over Caitlin Bernard on the No. 3 spot.
Notable Performances
Gabriel Araujo, Xavier, Junior
Araujo was the only Musketeer to win a singles match against Louisville, winning the No. 5 court, 6-4, 6-3. He also went undefeated in No. 1 doubles action alongside Matt Bishop with a 6-2 win over IUPUI and a 6-3 victory against Louisville.
Peter Beatty, Georgetown, Jr.
Beatty helped the Hoyas come away with a pair of victories over Navy (4-0) and The Citadel (4-3) as he went undefeated at the No.1 spot in both singles and doubles play.
Anicka Fajnorova, Seton Hall, So.
Fajnorva took part in a 6-0 victory at No. 1 doubles and earned a 6-0, 6-4 win at No. 2 singles in a sweep of visiting Fairfield.
Spencer Lang, Butler, So.
Lang enjoyed a 4-0 week, sealing Butler’s 4-3 win over Ball State and 6-2 victory against IUPUI. Against Ball State, the sophomore was the deciding point as he rallied for a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 win against Patrick Downs on the No.4 court.
Victoria Martinez, Villanova, Jr.
Martinez steered Villanova to back-to-back sweeps over Loyola and La Salle with a perfect weekend. The junior won the No.2 spot 6-3, 6-0 against Loyola while she defended the No. 1 court against La Salle, 5-7, 6-4, 10-5.
Luis Miranda, Villanova, Sr.
Miranda was an unstoppable force for the Wildcats last week, taking a three-set match against Loyola Maryland to win 1-6, 7-5, 6-2 at the No. 1 singles spot. He went on to claim the match for the Wildcats with another three-set match win against La Salle, winning at 6-3, 1-6, 6-1.
Yuliya Shupenia, DePaul, Sr.
Shupenia paced the Blue Demons to their first BIG EAST victory of the season with a 4-3 finish over Xavier at home on Saturday. Then ranked No. 123 Shupenia defeated Sydney Liggins 6-4, 2-6, 6-1 to claim DePaul’s fourth point of the match.
Sara Swift, Georgetown, Jr.
The junior clinched the 4-3 win over Towson with a 7-6, 3-6, 6-1 victory playing No. 1 singles for the first time in her GU career. She also won 7-5 with Madeline Foley at No. 3 doubles against the Tigers.
Luize Strike, Seton Hall, Jr.
The veteran recorded a 6-0 victory at No. 1 doubles and secured a 6-4, 6-3 victory at the top singles flight as the Pirates defeated Fairfield, 7-0.
2017 Tennis Weekly Honors
Men's Tennis: Nathan de Veer, DePaul (Jan. 25, Feb. 15); Alvaro Verdu, Marquette (Feb. 1, April 5); Mikheil Khmiadashvili, Butler (Feb.8, March 15); Aviv Ben Shabat, Butler (Feb.22); Thomas Dodson, Villanova (March 1); Tyler Roth, Villanova (March 8) Matt Bishop, Xavier (March 22); Stefan Suarez, Villanova (March 29)
Women’s Tennis: Risa Takenaka, Providence (Jan. 25); Aspasia Avgeri, DePaul (Feb.1, March. 1); Luize Strike, Seton Hall (Feb.8); Yuliya Shupenia, DePaul (Feb. 15), Jessica Livianu, St. John’s (Feb.22), Keisha Clousing, DePaul (March 8); Michaela Henne, Creighton (March 15); Darby Rosette, Creighton (March 22); Sydney Liggins, Xavier (March 29); Paula Tormos, Marquette (April 5)