HAMMOND, La. – Gabrielle Dekkers won in both singles and doubles play to lead the Southeastern Louisiana University women's tennis team in the opening match of the spring portion of its 2022-23 schedule Friday afternoon at the Southeastern Tennis Complex.
Dekkers' effective dual match debut was not enough for the Lions (0-1). LSU Alexandria (1-0) took a competitive doubles point, then the No. 3 ranked team in the latest NAIA poll won on courts 3,4 and 5 to earn a 4-3 victory.
"We came out nervous and it showed in doubles play," Southeastern head coach
Jason Hayes said. "Nerves are an indication that we care, so we can build on that. Our season's story will be told by how we finish, not how we start. We'll learn from today and be better moving forward."
A tightly-contested doubles point was the difference in the spring opener for both teams. Dekkers teamed with
Panatchakorn Suanarsa for a 6-4 victory over the General duo of Candela Bonviardi and Patricia Martinez on the No. 2 court. However, LSUA earned 7-5 wins on courts 1 and 3 to take a 1-0 lead.
After LSU Alexandria earned a straight-set win on the No. 3 singles court, Southeastern tied the score with wins atop the singles draw. On No. 2, Dekkers earned a 6-2, 6-2 win over Olivia Scattini. Minutes later,
Putri Insani handed Bonviardi a 6-3, 6-4 defeat on the feature singles court.
LSUA answered, clinching the match with straight-set wins on courts 4 and 5. On No. 6, SLU's
Bogi Csordas held a 5-4 second-set lead when Belen Blasco had to retire due to an injury.
Southeastern will play its next three matches away from home. The road swing starts Feb. 11 with a noon neutral site match versus Wyoming in McComb, Mississippi.
LSU Alexandria 4, Southeastern 3
Singles:
No. 1
Putri Insani (SLU) def. Candela Bonviardi (LSUA) 6-3, 6-4
No. 2
Gabrielle Dekkers (SLU) def. Olivia Scattini (LSUA) 6-2, 6-2
No. 3 Alicia Romero (LSUA) def.
Carla Del Barrio (SLU) 6-2, 6-4
No. 4 Annemart Kleijn (LSUA) def.
Kate Oborina (SLU) 6-1, 7-5
No. 5 Maria Alvarez (LSUA) def.
Flory Bierma (SLU) 6-4, 7-6
No. 6
Bogi Csordas (SLU) def. Belen Blasco (LSUA) 5-7, 5-4, retired
Doubles:
No. 1 Scattini/Kleijn (LSUA) def. Bierma/Insani (SLU) 7-5
No. 2 Dekkers/
Panatchakorn Suanarsa (SLU) def. Bonviardi/Patricia Martinez (LSUA) 6-4
No. 3 Alvarez/Romero (LSUA) def. Csordas/
Nadia Hitzman (SLU) 7-5
40 LOVE CLUB
All membership fees and donations to both the 40 Love Club and S Club (tennis) are available for the exclusive use of the Southeastern tennis program. Membership information is available by contacting the Lion Athletics Association at laa@southeastern.edu or (985) 549-5091 or visiting www.LionUp.com.
SOCIAL MEDIA
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