HAMMOND, La. – Southeastern Louisiana opened up play at the George E. Fourmaux Fed Cup Invitational with a 4-1 victory over in-state foe UL Lafayette Friday afternoon at the Southeastern Tennis Complex.
 
Singles victories by junior Ceci Mercier, freshman Katya Cornejo and senior Dany Raygadas, as well as a doubles win by the pair of senior Fleur Holtkamp and freshman Jiva de Veer staked SLU to the tournament-opening victory over its in-state rival.
 
The tournament is playing using Fed Cup scoring with each match featuring three singles and two doubles matches each counting for a point. Teams that only have six players will play four singles matches and one doubles match.
 
"This was a great effort by our team today," Southeastern head coach Jason Hayes said. "UL Lafayette is a really good team and to be able to come out with a 4-1 victory is a testament to the hard work our players have put in."
 
Mercier, who missed all of last spring with an injury, continues to make strides on her comeback tour. The Montevideo, Uruguay native defeated Ragin' Cajun freshman Floridane Picaut, 6-4, 7-6 (8-6).
 
"Ceci has been fantastic all fall," Hayes commented. "She really stepped up her game today and came out with a great win."
 
Cornejo had to rally against UL Lafayette sophomore Marina Rodriguez Garcia. The Aguascalientes, Mexico product bounced back for a 5-7, 6-3, 10-4 victory.
 
"We really liked what Katya was able to do today," Hayes said. "That was a big comeback for her against a player that played at the top of their singles lineup last season."
Rounding out the sweep in singles was Raygadas. The Queretaro, Mexico native handled UL Lafayette freshman Morgan Forshag, 6-3, 3-6, 10-5. In doubles play, Holtkamp and de Veer were too much for the Ragin' Cajun pair of freshman Dana Radovanovic and senior Elena Sava in a 7-5, 6-2 triumph to provide the final 4-1 margin.
 
"Dany was strong as always in singles," Hayes said. "We played well in doubles and it was just a great team effort today."
 
Southeastern will open Saturday's action with an 8:30 a.m. match versus McNeese before closing the day with a 1:30 p.m. match versus Alcorn State. Both matches are scheduled for the Southeastern Tennis Complex.
 
"This group is so much fun to coach," Hayes stated. "McNeese will be a tough match and we'll have to be ready. Our team wants to be challenged because we believe we can play at a higher level each time out."
 
2017 George E. Fourmaux Fed Cup Invitational – Day One Results
 
Green Division
Team                                      Record            PF       PA
Southeastern Louisiana           1-0                   4          1
McNeese                                 1-0                   4          1         
UL Lafayette                          0-1                   1          4
Alcorn State                            0-1                   1          4
 
Gold Division
Team                                      Record            PF       PA
Lamar                                      1-0                   4          1         
New Orleans                           1-0                   4          1
Nicholls                                   0-1                   1          4
Loyola (N.O.)                         0-1                   1          4
 
Friday, Nov. 3
Southeastern Louisiana 4, UL Lafayette 1
Singles:
Ceci Mercier (SLU) def. Floriane Picaut (ULL) 6-4, 7-6 (8-6)
Katya Cornejo (SLU) def. Marina Rodriguez Garcia (ULL) 5-7, 6-3, 10-4
Dany Raygadas (SLU) def. Morgan Forshag (ULL) 6-3, 3-6, 10-5
Doubles:
Kelly Drew/Abby Johnson (ULL) def. Dalina Dahlmans/Ximena Yanez (SLU) 7-5, 6-4
Fleur Holtkamp/Jiva de Veer (SLU) def. Dana Radovanovic/Elena Sava (ULL) 7-5, 6-2
 
McNeese 4, Alcorn State 1
Singles:
Bianca Birkenstock (ASU) def. Charline Erlandsson (MCN) 6-4, 6-1
Phonexay Chitdara (MCN) def. Anastasia Vaganova (ASU) 6-1, 6-0
Marija Mastilovic (MCN) def. Klavdija Bukovec (ACU) 6-1, 6-0
Doubles:
Hannah Brett/Sara Jurakova (MCN) def. Ammaarah Tim/Alessandra Maganuco (ASU) 6-1, 6-1
Stella Carra/Sofia San Jose Moreno (MCN) def. Natalia Parchowska/Veronika Pytilkova (ASU) 6-3, 6-3
 
New Orleans 4, Nicholls 1
Singles:
Stephanie Barnett (NICH) def. Brittany Johnson (UNO) 6-3, 7-6 (7-4)
Yurina Asai (UNO) def. Lingfeng Gu (NICH) 6-4, 5-7, 11-9
Claudette Gilhespie (UNO) def. Marina Vigil (NICH) 6-2, 6-3
Mar Gendra (UNO) def. Anastasia Kuzevanova (NICH) 6-1, 6-2
Doubles:
Anja Luethi/Trang Dao (UNO) def. Changwei Wei/Mariia Kozachok (NICH) 6-0, 6-3


Lamar 4, Loyola (N.O.) 1
Singles:
Jasmin Buchta (LU) def. Arianna Pepper (LOY) 6-1, 6-3
Madina Vorotnikova (LOY)* def. Amelie Vossgaetter (LU) 2-6, 7-5, 10-8
Sanja Jolic (LU) def. Manuela Alban (LOY) 6-1, 6-1
Doubles:
Kaela Di Giulio/Natalia Molina (LU) def. Gabrielle Terranova/Miranda Cano (LOY) 6-1, 6-4
Stephanie Marchena/Milena Belianovich (LU) def. Nadja Oschner/Margaret Adams (LOY) 6-1, 6-4
* - Member of Southeastern Louisiana roster playing on Loyola's team for tournament
 
Saturday, Nov. 4
8:30 a.m. – Southeastern Louisiana vs. McNeese – Southeastern Tennis Complex
8:30 a.m. – UL Lafayette vs. Alcorn State – Oak Knoll Country Club
11 a.m. – New Orleans vs. Loyola (N.O.) – Oak Knoll Country Club
11 a.m. – Lamar vs. Nicholls – Southeastern Tennis Complex
1:30 p.m. – Southeastern Louisiana vs. Alcorn State – Southeastern Tennis Complex
1:30 p.m. – McNeese vs. UL Lafayette – Oak Knoll Country Club
4 p.m. – Nicholls vs. Loyola (N.O.) – Oak Knoll Country Club
4 p.m. – Lamar vs. New Orleans – Southeastern Tennis Complex
 
Sunday, Nov. 5
9 a.m. – TBA vs. TBA – Oak Knoll Country Club
9 a.m. – TBA vs. TBA – Southeastern Tennis Complex
12 p.m. – TBA vs. TBA – Oak Knoll Country Club
12 p.m. – TBA vs. TBA – Southeastern Tennis Complex