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University of Nebraska - Kearney Athletics

Alexis Bernthal
ITA
4
Winner Wayne State (MI) WSUW (6-3)
2
Nebraska Kearney UNK-W (5-2)
Winner
Wayne State (MI) WSUW
(6-3)
4
Final
2
Nebraska Kearney UNK-W
(5-2)

Match Recap: Women's Tennis |

"You Guys Have Shook Up the Whole Division II Women's Landscape" ... UNK Finishes Sixth at ITA Nationals

Kearney, Neb. – The 14th-ranked Wayne State Warriors took the doubles point and won four through six singles to get past Nebraska-Kearney, 4-2, Sunday afternoon at the Ernest Grundy Tennis Center.

This was the fifth-place match of the 2024 ITA Women's Team Indoor Championships. Early Sunday morning, fourth-ranked Flagler (Fla.) got past sixth-ranked Columbus (Ga.) State, 4-1, in the seventh-place bout. Top-ranked Barry (Fla.) and second-ranked Nova Southeastern (Fla.) battled for the title Sunday night with fifth-ranked St. Leo (Fla.) and seventh-ranked West Alabama in the third-place match.

"The day was bittersweet. It actually easy because the credit goes to the other team. They were clutch when they needed to be," said UNK head coach Scott Shafer. "I have some regrets in terms of how we were handling each court. But the last two matches on included a 17-year-old freshman (Tanyaradzwa "Tanya" Midzi) who just got here at semester. She's played only a couple of matches for us so I don't know her game yet and what she needs at those moments. With that said, the other girl played very well and handled the pressure."

UNK (5-2) upset Flagler on Saturday night thanks to winning the doubles point. The Lopers also took the point against Barry Friday night but WSU (6-3) has the third-ranked pair of Polish junior Marta Komar and French junior Anais Ruyssen. They won 6-1 at one with WSU winning by the same score at two. Junior Jazmin Zamorano (Mexico) and freshman Fabiana Gamboa (Venezuela) were up 4-3 when the point was one.

The Lopers rallied as junior Narindra Ranaivo (Madagascar) won 6-2, 6-1 at two singles with Gamboa winning her number one match in straight sets (6-3, 6-4) over Ruysssen. She is ranked 49th with Ruyssen 48th. However, WSU won the next three completed singles matches to take the dual. Canadian freshman Justine Beaulieu won in three sets at five (6-4, 2-6, 6-3) with English sophomore Shanice Weeks (six) and Polish sophomore Martyna Szpakowska (four) having to work for straight set victories. Finally, the ninth-ranked Zamorano was poised to win at three when the dual ended.

"(Alexis Bernthal) had a tough one (six singles). She was overruled for a third time which is a game penalty. So, it went from match point to the other girl winning a whole game," said Shafer. "We have heavy upperclassmen roster, but I've been doing some changes with our lineup. We're trying some different things with some talented freshmen. I'm hoping to put us in the position that in May – we have one goal this year – is to get out of the first round of the MIAA Tournament. Three years straight our season has ended in the opening round."

Both UNK teams head to Sioux Falls, S.D., next weekend to face the Augustana Vikings.

"Overall, I talked to the West Alabama coach (Jeff Bearman) and he said what they all are saying … 'You guys have shook up the whole Division II women's landscape'. I knew we were good, and I know how good our (Central) region is," said Shafer. "The crowds this weekend helped a lot especially against Flagler. They helped us pull through at three doubles which, at the time, seemed really important."
 
 
 
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