Pepperdine University
Maryland
Pepperdine Opens ITA Kick-Off with Sweep over Maryland
1/27/2018 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
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MALIBU, Calif. -- Luisa Stefani clinched the 6th-ranked Pepperdine women's tennis team's ITA Kick-Off Weekend sweep over Maryland at Ralphs-Straus Tennis Center on Saturday morning. With the win today, the Waves advance to the ITA Kick-Off Championship match tomorrow at 1 p.m. against the winner of Oregon and Rice.
The Waves (1-0) dominated doubles action over the Terrapins (1-1), before coming out in singles to win all first sets. Evgeniya Levashova and Adrijana Lekaj won their respective matches on courts five and six to set Stefani up for the clinch on court one.
 | RESULTS |
Singles
1: Luisa Stefani (PEPP) def. Eva Alexandrova (UMD) - 6-3, 6-0
2: #31 Mayar Sherif (PEPP) vs. Ekaterina Tour (UMD) - 6-3, 2-1, unfinished
3: #57 Laura Gulbe (PEPP) vs. Millie Stretton (UMD) - 6-2, 2-2, unfinished
4: #44 Dzina Milovanovic (PEPP) vs. Kate Yemelyanenka (UMD) - 7-5, unfinished
5: Evgeniya Levashova (PEPP) def. Saya Usui (UMD) - 6-1, 6-0
6: Adrijana Lekaj (PEPP) def. Zoe Kulkarni (UMD) - 6-1, 6-1
Order of Finish: 5, 6, 1*
Doubles
1: Luisa Stefani/Mayar Sherif (PEPP) def. Eva Alexandrova/Millie Stretton (UMD) - 6-0
2: Evgeniya Levashova/Dzina Milovanovic (PEPP) vs. Ekaterina Tour/Kate Yemelyanenka (UMD) - 2-3, unfinished
3: Ashley Lahey/Laura Gulbe (PEPP) def. Zoe Kulkarni/Saya Usui (UMD) - 6-1
Order of Finish: 1, 3*
| PLAY-BY-PLAY |
With the 1-0 advantage heading into singles, Pepperdine once again came out strong, intending to shut the match down quickly. Evgeniya Levashova and Adrijana Lekaj made quick work of their opponents, winning 6-1, 6-0 against Usui on five and with a pair of 6-1 set scores over Kulkarni on six respectively.
Stefani then clinched her first dual back with the Waves with a 6-3, 6-0 win over Alexandrova on court one to earn the Waves a 4-0 sweep.
| NOTABLES |
- A win tomorrow earns the winner a bid to the ITA National Team Indoor Championships.
- The Waves have four ranked in the Oracle/ITA singles rankings, #28 Ashley Lahey, #31 Mayar Sherif, #44 Dzina Milovanovic and #57 Laura Gulbe.
- Senior Gulbe leads the team with 13 wins this season in tournament play.
- With the wins today, Luisa Stefani, Adrijana Lekaj and Evgeniya Levashova are the only Waves with singles duals victories.
- This is only the second match that Stefani and Sherif have been paired in doubles all-time.
- This is the first-ever doubles match that Lahey and Gulbe have been partnered.
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