Cincinnati, Ohio - A 3-0 showing from the doubles team of senior
Stephanie Miller (Washington, D.C./St. John's College High School) and junior
Lucia Seigford (Madrid, Spain/Mirasur) at the Greater Cincinnati Invitational highlighted another successful week for the Saint Francis women's tennis team.
The Red Flash had success in women's singles, posting a combined 9-5 record. Junior
Laura Gutierrez (Bogota, Colombia/Cibercolegio UCN) played in the No. 3 singles division, finishing with a 2-1 record and third-place finish. Gutierrez defeated Western Kentucky's Lisa Friess 7-5, 6-3 in her opening match to advance to play Wofford's Lillie Steryous in the second round. Gutierrez would fall 6-4, 6-2 but bounced back with a 6-1, 6-2 win over the University of Cincinnati's Maria Garcia in the third-place match.
Seigford represented the Red Flash in the No. 4 singles division, finishing with a 2-1 record to claim fifth-place. She lost her opening match to Xavier's Natalie Moyer 6-4, 6-0 before rebounding in the backdraw with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Western Kentucky's Zeniece Hall. Seigford kept it going with a victory over Northern Kentucky's Hannah Watton (6-2, 6-1) in her final match.
Like Seigford, sophomore
Nastasia Tamarkin (Washington, D.C./School Without Walls) dropped her opening match in the No. 5 singles division to Wofford's Liz Massie before winning her final two matches over Dayton's Zoe Woods (6-2, 6-4) and Dayton's Anna Delaney (6-1, 6-2).
Miller found success in the No. 6 singles spot with a 7-5, 6-3 win over Lipscomb's Eleanor Chapman in her opening match. She would advance to the championship match after a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Wofford's Brittney Wilbur in the second match. Miller fought hard in the championship match vs. Wofford's Alex Hildell, winning the first. Unfortunately, she was unable to close out the match, falling 3-6, 6-1, 1-0 (4).
Senior
Raksha Bode (Reunion, Fla./Florida Virtual School) closed out SFU's representation in singles play in the No. 7 singles bracket. After receiving an opening-round bye, Bode defeated Wofford's Annie Mayfield 6-4, 7-6 in the second round. Like Miller, she would take the first set of her championship match before falling to Lipscomb's Maddox Bandy, 3-6, 7-6, 1-0 (4).
Miller and Seigford soared through doubles play with a 3-0 record and wins over Lipscomb's Tshatedi/Diachenko (6-2), Siena's Mullaney/Brown (7-5) and Dayton's Pleiman/Allen (6-4).
Gutierrez and Tamarkin also teamed up in doubles action, posting a 2-1 record. The duo lost in the opening round to Lipscomb's Buberl/Chapman (6-4), defeated Wofford's Jock/Massie (6-2) and lost to Dayton's Klistofte/Delaney (6-2).
