Pepperdine University
Saint Mary's (WCC Semifinals)
#11 Waves Advance to WCC Championships Title Match
4/27/2018 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
CLAREMONT, Calif. " For the 31st-consecutive season, the 11th-ranked and top-seeded Pepperdine women's tennis team advanced to the West Coast Conference Championships title match after sweeping past 5th-seeded Saint Mary's in the semifinal round on Friday afternoon.
After a quick doubles point, Evgeniya Levashova, Laura Gulbe and Evgeniya Levashova dominated in singles to clinch the first postseason victory of the year. The Waves (21-2) advance to the title match Saturday at 2 p.m. against 3rd-seeded PCH Cup rivals Loyola Marymount.
 | RESULTS |
Singles
1. #18 Ashley Lahey (PEPP) vs. Mariia Kozyreva (SMC) " 6-4, 3-2, unfinished
2. #22 Mayar Sherif (PEPP) vs. Hind Abdelouahid (SMC) " 6-4, 1-3, unfinished
3. #52 Evgeniya Levashova (PEPP) def. Clementine Clement (SMC) " 6-0, 6-1
4. #93 Laura Gulbe (PEPP) def. Kareena Manji (SMC) " 6-2, 6-1
5. Dzina Milovanovic (PEPP) def. Emma Critser (SMC) " 6-1, 6-4
6. Adrijana Lekaj (PEPP) vs. Vanessa Nommensen (SMC) " 6-6, unfinished
Order of Finish: 3, 4, 5*
Doubles
1. #75 Evgeniya Levashova/Dzina Milovanovic (PEPP) def. Hind Abdelouahid/Mariia Kozyreva (SMC) " 6-4
2. Ashley Lahey/Adrijana Lekaj (PEPP) vs. Kareena Manji/Emma Critser (SMC) " 4-4, unfinished
3. Mayar Sherif/Laura Gulbe (PEPP) def. Aubane Ville/Clementine Clement (SMC) " 6-2
Order of Finish: 3, 1*
| MATCH RECAP |
In singles, the Waves collected first set wins on five courts relatively quickly. WCC Freshman of the Year Levashova put down Clementine Clement 6-0, 6-1 in the No. 3 position to open singles action. Gulbe followed with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Kareena Manji in the No. 4 position to put the Waves in a position to clinch.
On court five, Milovanovic would end the match for the Waves, taking down Emma Critser 6-1, 6-4 to clinch the overall victory. The matches on courts one, two and six were unfinished due to the clinch.
| NOTABLES |
- The Waves have played in the WCC Championship match for 31-consecutive seasons and have only not been in the title match once in 33 seasons.
- Pepperdine has won the WCC tournament the last five years.
- Pepperdine has won all nine WCC matches this season, including eight by straight-set sweeps, to earn the team's 7th-straight WCC regular season crown.
- The Waves have gone 3-1 against opponents ranked in the top-12 of the Oracle/ITA rankings.
- Pepperdine has collected 12 sweeps this season.
- Laura Gulbe is on a 14-match winning streak, while Evgeniya Levashova and Mayar Sherif have won 12- and 11-consecutive matches respectively.
- The No. 1 doubles position has gone 18-3 this season for the Waves in dual action, with Mayar Sherif and Luisa Stefani collecting a 13-2 record in the top-spot.
- The Waves have gone 93-16 in singles action and 44-11 in doubles play this season.
- The Waves have five ranked in the Oracle/ITA singles rankings #18 Ashley Lahey, #22 Mayar Sherif, #24 Luisa Stefani, #52 Evgeniya Levashova and #93 Laura Gulbe.
- The team has three doubles pairs ranked with Sherif and Stefani ranking #11, Sherif and Lahey ranking #39 and Milovanovic and Levashova ranking #75.
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