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Sonja Larsen named SSC Player of Week 2-12-18
Joel Auerbach
Sonja Larsen won twice as the Bucs captured their 13th region title.
1
Saint Leo SLW (19-7, 7-3 SC)
5
Winner Barry BARRY-W (24-0, 10-0 SSC)
Saint Leo SLW
(19-7, 7-3 SC)
1
Final
5
Barry BARRY-W
(24-0, 10-0 SSC)
Winner

Match Recap: Women's Tennis | | Jim McCurdy

Airborne to Arizona: No. 1 Women's Tennis Nets South Region Title

Buccaneers beat No. 8 Saint Leo, 5-1

MIAMI SHORES, Fla. -- Barry University's No. 1-ranked women's tennis team beat No. 8 Saint Leo, 5-1, in the NCAA Division II South Region Championship at Buccaneer Tennis Center, 5-1, Sunday. It earned the Buccaneers a trip to the NCAA Championships in Surprise, Arizona.

"We're very happy and fortunate to be able to go back to nationals and defend our title," Bucs head coach Avi Kigel said. "It was a tough win over a very good opponent in Saint Leo. We're just very happy to progress in the national tournament."

Following a 2-1 lead in doubles, the Buccaneers picked up three quick points in singles to secure their 13th region championship.

"We didn't play well in doubles today at all, but we found a way to win (a tough match at No. 2), and we played well in singles," Kigel said. 

INSIDE THE MATCHUP

Final: Barry 5, Saint Leo 1
Records: Barry (24-0), Saint Leo (18-7)

DOUBLES:

  • Top-ranked Sonja Larsen and Verena Schmid tied the match at 1-1 after the Bucs dropped the No. 2 pairs match. Larsen and Schmid beat 25th-ranked Madeleine Gauthier and Maja Pindelska, 8-2, at No. 1 doubles.
  • In an intense battle at No. 3 singles, Barry's Carolin Schmidt and Zuza Maciejewska pulled out a 9-8 (7-3) victory over Kristyna Jurkova and Sophie Vlietstra to take the momentum into singles.
  • The Lions' lone point was the first match decided.

SINGLES:

  • Julie Razafindranaly rebounded from a No. 2 doubles loss to beat Sophie Vlietstra, 6-2, 6-2, at No. 6 singles. That put the Bucs ahead, 3-1.
  • Sixty second-ranked Maciejewska was a 6-2, 6-0 winner over Fabiola Cardenas at the No. 4 position to move Barry within a point of clinching the title.
  • Fourth-ranked Larsen did that, beating 46th-ranked Marta Vicens Miquel, 6-1, 6-3, at the No. 1 position.
  • The Buccaneers were up a set in two of the three unfinished singles matches. 

NOTEWORTHY:

  • Barry has beaten Saint Leo twice since 2015 to win a regional title, both times at Buccaneer Tennis Center.
  • The Bucs beat the Lions, 5-0, for the region crown in 2015.
  • Barry has beaten Saint Leo three times since 2012 in the region championship. 
  • The Buccaneers handed the Lions a 5-0 loss in 2012 to claim the regional.
  • Maciejewska and Schmid improved to 20-0 as a doubles team.
  • Larsen is 5-1 against ranked opponents in singles.
  • Larsen and Schmid improved to 6-1 against ranked duos.

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING:

"Overall, we're playing better and better. We have a couple more days to work on things, and keep going from there."
            -- Bucs head coach Avi Kigel

ON THE HORIZON:

Barry will play Drury in the NCAA Round of 16 in Surprise, Ariz., May 8.


BOX SCORE
 

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