Baylor WT Newcomers Complete Strong Showing in H-E-B Invitational

[Pirtle, Colin]

BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – Sept. 23, 2024

Baylor WT Newcomers Complete Strong Showing in H-E-B Invitational
Bears go 10-10 in singles, 5-5 in doubles play to begin 2024-25
For more information contact: Colin Pirtle; 940-564-0351, colin_pirtle1 at baylor.edu<mailto:colin_pirtle1 at baylor.edu>

WACO, Texas – Baylor women’s tennis wrapped up the H-E-B Invitational, their first tournament of the fall season and only tournament in Waco before the NCAA Individual Championships, on Sunday.

Among the three-day compass draw, the Bears stayed even with a 10-10 record in singles play and a 5-5 tab in doubles play. In her college debut, Wenfei Yu remained perfect in singles play with a 3-0 record, while two doubles pairs went 2-1.

THE RUNDOWN
Yu, a first-semester freshman from Beijing, China, found comfort quickly at the Hurd Tennis Center, leading the team with a perfect 3-0 record on the weekend to win the green singles draw. Yu defeated Pia Rebec (Colorado), Ariel Madatili (Illinois) and Valariia Krokhotina (Houston) to stay unscathed.

In another first-time appearance, Nanaka Sato joined Liubov Kostenko and Lauren Littell at 2-1 in singles play, only dropping one match in a retirement. Sato went on to defeat her final two opponents in dominating, 6-2, 6-2, and 6-1, 6-1, fashion.

Littell’s 2-1 run was good enough for a finals appearance in the green draw, beating Belen Nevenhoven (Arizona) and Anya Nelson (Colorado) before falling to Maria Fernanda Martinez Hernandez (Rice) in the final.

Doubles play saw another set of 2-1 success, with Kostenko joining Brooke Thompson and Yu joining Sierra Berry for three rounds of doubles on Friday and Saturday morning. The Yu and Berry pairing made a finals appearance in the red draw and fell to Houston’s Sophie Schouten and Gabriela Cortes, 8-6.

Lindsay Patton also suited up for the Bears but joined a split doubles pair with Rice’s Anushka Ashar, nearly fending off the second-seeded Nebraska pair, 6-4.

STAT OF THE TOURNAMENT
8 – Number of matches won by first-semester freshmen in their first collegiate tournaments.

WHAT’S NEXT
The Bears continue their stint at the All-American Championships before turning to the ITA Texas Regional Championship in Fort Worth, October 10-14.

2024 H-E-B INVITATIONAL RESULTS
Sunday Singles:
Liubov Kostenko (BU) def. Sophie Schouten (UH), 6-2, 6-3
Maria Fernanda Martinez Hernandez (RICE) def. Lauren Littell (BU), 6-4, 6-2
Anushka Ashar (RICE) def. Brooke Thompson (BU), 6-4, 6-4
Nanaka Sato (BU) def. Willow Gretsch (COL), 6-1, 6-1
Iva Sepa (UH) def. Sierra Berry (BU), 7-5, 6-3
Wenfei Yu (BU) def. Valeriia Krokhotina (UH), 6-3, 6-3

Saturday Doubles:
Sato/Littell (BU) def. Sanchez/Baccinno (UTSA), 6-4
Thompson/Kostenko (BU) def. Ghigarielli/Nevenhoven (UA), 6-2
Schouten/Cortes (UH) def. Berry/Yu (BU), 8-6

Saturday Singles:
Valentina Ponce Serrano (RICE) def. Brooke Thompson (BU), 6-2, 3-6, 1-0 (10-4)
Lauren Littell (BU) def. Anya Nelson (CO), 6-4, 6-4
Wenfei Yu (BU) def. Ariel Madatali (ILL), 1-6, 6-1, 1-0 (10-8)
Violeta Martinez (ILL) def. Liubov Kostenko (BU) 6-7 (4-7), 6-4, 1-0 (10-7)
Karissa Ghigiarelli (UA) def. Sierra Berry (BU), 6-3, 3-6, 1-0 (10-6)
Rosie Seccia (ILL) def. Lindsay Patton (BU), 6-3, 6-2
Nanaka Sato (BU) def. Kida Ferrari (ILL), 6-2, 6-2

Friday Doubles:
Thompson/Kostenko (BU) def. Rossini/Rizzetto (NEB), 6-2
Gretsch/Alexin (CO) def. Sato/Littell (BU), 7-5
Berry/Yu (BU) def. Coe/Loy (NEB), 7-5
Taranova/Miyoshi (NEB) def. Patton/Ashar (BU/Rice), 6-4
Berry/YU (BU) def. Tokac/Van Der Werff (CO), 6-3
Ferrari/Martinez def. Thompson/Kostenko (BU), 6-1
Sanchez/Baccino (UTSA) def. Patton/Ashar (BU/Rice), 6-2

Friday Singles:
Betina Tokac (CO) def. Nanaka Sato (BU), 1-6, 4-1, ret.
Wenfei Yu (BU) def. Pia Rebec (CO), 6-3, 3-6, 1-0 (10-6)
Lera Alexin (CO) def. Sierra Berry (BU), 5-7, 7-5, 1-0 (10-3)
Valeria Sanchez (UTSA) def. Lindsay Patton (BU), 6-3, 5-0, ret.
Brooke Thompson (BU) def. Willow Gretsch (CO), 6-2, 6-1
Liubov Kostenko (BU) def. Maria Taranova (NEB), 6-2, 2-6, 1-0 (10-6)
Lauren Littell (BU) def. Belen Nevenhoven (UA), 6-3, 3-6, 1-0 (10-5)

- BaylorBears.com -

_________________________________________
Colin Pirtle | Associate Director of Athletics Communications (WBB, WTEN)
Department of Athletics | Baylor University
C: 940-564-0351

[signature_2230589939]<http://baylorbears.com/>

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