Results (HTML)

ST. CHARLES, Mo. – The No. 31-ranked Northeastern State women's tennis team defeated Lindenwood 9-0 Saturday afternoon on the Lindenwood Tennis Courts to claim a share of the 2014 MIAA Regular Season Championship.
 
The RiverHawks currently sit at 18-4 overall and they finished the regular season 9-1 in the conference. NSU shared the title with Southwest Baptist, who also finished with a 9-1 mark. Northeastern State will be the No. 1 seed at the 2014 MIAA Championship tournament (April 25-27) due to a victory over the No. 27-ranked Bearcats earlier this season.
 
The championship is the first for an NSU program as members of the MIAA, and this marked the first time since 2007 that the women's tennis program captured a conference title. One of the seniors on that '07 team was current head coach Amanda Stone.
 
Northeastern State now has four conference championships; three in the Lone Star (2001, 2003, 2007) and one in the MIAA.
 
The RiverHawks started strong against the Lions (9-10, 4-6 MIAA) by sweeping the three doubles courts.
 
Junior Barbora Jirickova and sophomore Kristina Savchenkov topped Gloria Marras and Alexandra Medvedeva 8-2 on the top court. Senior Houda Bellamine and freshman Maria Lodge teamed up at No. 2 doubles for an 8-4 win over Daria Ivanova and Mariona Pinol, and sophomore Kate Nesbitt and freshman Valeriia Efimenko defeated Diana Castro and Clara Piccamiglio 8-4 on the third court.
 
Savchenkov was the first off in singles play, as she secured a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Marras on the top court. The league crown was clinched when Efimenko defeated Ivanova 6-1, 6-1 at the third position.
 
Bellamine was next off court following a 6-0, 6-2 victory over Piccamiglio from the second position, and sophomore Lucia Cerchlanova defeated Medvedeva 3-6, 6-1, 1-0 (10-3) at the bottom of the order.
 
Senior Martina Bruzikova topped Pinol 6-4, 6-2 from the fourth line, and Jirickova closed proceedings with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Castro from the fifth position.
 
Northeastern State will close out the regular season at home with a 2 p.m. matchup April 15 against No. 50-ranked Arkansas-Fort Smith. NSU will celebrate senior day and will be honoring the great careers of both Bellamine and Bruzikova.
 
Tennis Match Results
Apr 12, 2014 at St. Charles, Mo.
(Lindenwood Tennis Courts)
 
#31 Northeastern State 9, Lindenwood 0
                                                            
Singles Competition
1. Kristina Savchenkov (NSU) def. Gloria Marras (LWU) 6-1, 6-3
2. Houda Bellamine (NSU) def. Clara Piccamiglio (LWU) 6-0, 6-2
3. Valeriia Efimenko (NSU) def. Daria Ivanova (LWU) 6-1, 6-1
4. Martina Bruzikova (NSU) def. Mariona Pinol (LWU) 6-4, 6-2
5. Barbora Jirickova (NSU) def. Diana Castro (LWU) 6-4, 6-2
6. Lucia Cerchlanova (NSU) def. Alexandra Medvedeva (LWU) 3-6, 6-1, 1-0 (10-3)
 
Doubles Competition
1. Barbora Jirickova/Kristina Savchenkov (NSU) def. Gloria Marras/Alexandra Medvedeva (LWU) 8-2
2. Houda Bellamine/Maria Lodge (NSU) def. Daria Ivanova/Mariona Pinol (LWU) 8-4
3. Kate Nesbitt/Valeriia Efimenko (NSU) def. Diana Castro/Clara Piccamiglio (LWU) 8-4
 
Match Notes:
Northeastern State 18-4, 9-1 MIAA; National Ranking #31
Lindenwood 9-10, 4-6 MIAA
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (1,3,2,6,4,5)
 
NORTHEASTERN STATE COACH AMANDA STONE
Opening Statement…
"We are thrilled to be able to win the first MIAA Championship at NSU. We're happy to be the team that brought home that first title. This is a huge step for the program. It's only the fourth time for this program to win a conference championship. We've been competitive throughout the years at the national level, but I think this is a big step toward being the best in the conference."
 
On winning a conference title as both a player and now a coach…
"I really wanted to get the first MIAA tennis championship for NSU. The last conference championship that we had was when I was a senior in 2007. That's really special for me to be able to win one both as a player and now as a coach with my alma mater. The girls knew that I won one as a player, and they wanted to make sure I got one as a coach as well. They were really pulling for it because they thought it would make a nice story."
 
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