AUM Wins Three Flights at UAH Charger Invitational
Tennis -
Tue. Sep. 24, 2013
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – The Auburn Montgomery tennis teams took home three flight championships,
winning men's singles, as well as women's singles and doubles, as it opened its
2013 Fall season by participating in UAH Charger Invitational on September
13-14.
Senior Jade Curtis cruised to the women's
singles championship and teamed with fellow senior Chanel Cunningham to capture the doubles crown.
Senior Zinelabidine Jouini took home the individual
title on the men's side.
"I was happy with our overall performance," head coach Rolando Vargas said. "This was a good tournament to start the season and help us get ready for Regionals. I was very impressed with the guys fighting spirit after playing a lot of matches and spending a lot of time on the court. Zino (Jouini) played extremely well and his fitness level was the key to his success. Miguel (Grifol) had a very good win in semifinals too. I was also happy with Louis' (Ingram) mental toughness, especially in his first collegiate match. I thought Jade's (Curtis) experience showed, and she was able to take control of matches. She and Chanel had a good doubles tournament, especially considering they were playing together for the first time. For the other girls, I noticed areas where we can to improve."
Curtis rolled through her five matches, dropping only four games in the matches, including a 6-1, 6-0, victory over Sewanee's Jenny Liles in the championship match. Curtis, a three-time NAIA First-Team All-American, also defeated Shorter's Candace Laurent, Ann Porry and Diana DiMarco and Lina Carvajal from host Alabama-Huntsville in straight sets en route to the title.
Cunningham also had a strong showing in singles play, advancing to the semifinals of the draw. Cunningham won three of her four matches, including a three-set victory over Shorter's Samya El Hsissen, before falling to Liles in the semifinals.
Sophomore Maria Fernanda Vargas and freshman Bright Phakamad also competed in the tournament, but each fell in their only match.
In the doubles portion, Curtis and Cunningham defeated teams from Sewanee, Shorter and UAH, before defeating Liles and Annie Veron from Sewanee in the finals, 8-5.
Vargas and Phakamad outlasted Jessica Groupierre and Maria Lawton of the host Chargers in the round of 16, 9-7, before falling to the second-seeded Laurent and Aurelie Gaborit, 8-3 in the quarterfinals.
The men had five players compete in the championship, with Jouini outlasting the field to claim the championship. In the finals, he and teammate Miguel Grifol squared off in a three-set battle, with the final score being 7-6, 4-6, 6-0, in favor of Jouini. Facing top seed Emanuel Lueber of Florida Southern in the round of 16, he posted a 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 victory to advance. Jouini also defeated teammate Othmane Lalami in the semifinals, Martin Harach of Young Harris in the quarterfinals and Sewanee's Rand Jackson in the opening round, all in straight sets.
Grifol's path to the championship match was not as easy, as he was forced to rally in two of his four matches prior. In both the round of 16 and the semifinals, Grifol went to an extra set, including rallying from a set down en route to a 3-6, 6-3, 6-0, against UAH's Jose Soto in the semis. He was also a straight-set winner against second-seed Benoit Paradis from Florida Southern and Brodie Holmes of the Chargers.
Lalami won three straight-set matches, dropping only six games in the process, before meeting Jouini with a spot in the title match on the line, where he ultimately fell 6-0, 6-4.
Senior Josh Reason and freshman Louis Ingram also competed for the Warhawks, as each played three matches in the tournament. Ingram reached the quarterfinals, where he fell to Soto in three sets. Reason was bested in the round of 16 by Paradis.
In the doubles draw, Ingram and Jouini teamed and advanced to the semifinals, where they fell to Soto and Nestor Perez of UAH. However, in the quarterfinals the duo upset the top-seeded Lueber and Paradis, 8-3.
Lalami and Reason also advanced to the semis, where they fell to Nathan Leavitt and Vladimir Barabash from Florida Southern, 8-1.
The Warhawks will return to action this weekend, when they participate in the ITA South Region Tournament in New Orleans.
"I was happy with our overall performance," head coach Rolando Vargas said. "This was a good tournament to start the season and help us get ready for Regionals. I was very impressed with the guys fighting spirit after playing a lot of matches and spending a lot of time on the court. Zino (Jouini) played extremely well and his fitness level was the key to his success. Miguel (Grifol) had a very good win in semifinals too. I was also happy with Louis' (Ingram) mental toughness, especially in his first collegiate match. I thought Jade's (Curtis) experience showed, and she was able to take control of matches. She and Chanel had a good doubles tournament, especially considering they were playing together for the first time. For the other girls, I noticed areas where we can to improve."
Curtis rolled through her five matches, dropping only four games in the matches, including a 6-1, 6-0, victory over Sewanee's Jenny Liles in the championship match. Curtis, a three-time NAIA First-Team All-American, also defeated Shorter's Candace Laurent, Ann Porry and Diana DiMarco and Lina Carvajal from host Alabama-Huntsville in straight sets en route to the title.
Cunningham also had a strong showing in singles play, advancing to the semifinals of the draw. Cunningham won three of her four matches, including a three-set victory over Shorter's Samya El Hsissen, before falling to Liles in the semifinals.
Sophomore Maria Fernanda Vargas and freshman Bright Phakamad also competed in the tournament, but each fell in their only match.
In the doubles portion, Curtis and Cunningham defeated teams from Sewanee, Shorter and UAH, before defeating Liles and Annie Veron from Sewanee in the finals, 8-5.
Vargas and Phakamad outlasted Jessica Groupierre and Maria Lawton of the host Chargers in the round of 16, 9-7, before falling to the second-seeded Laurent and Aurelie Gaborit, 8-3 in the quarterfinals.
The men had five players compete in the championship, with Jouini outlasting the field to claim the championship. In the finals, he and teammate Miguel Grifol squared off in a three-set battle, with the final score being 7-6, 4-6, 6-0, in favor of Jouini. Facing top seed Emanuel Lueber of Florida Southern in the round of 16, he posted a 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 victory to advance. Jouini also defeated teammate Othmane Lalami in the semifinals, Martin Harach of Young Harris in the quarterfinals and Sewanee's Rand Jackson in the opening round, all in straight sets.
Grifol's path to the championship match was not as easy, as he was forced to rally in two of his four matches prior. In both the round of 16 and the semifinals, Grifol went to an extra set, including rallying from a set down en route to a 3-6, 6-3, 6-0, against UAH's Jose Soto in the semis. He was also a straight-set winner against second-seed Benoit Paradis from Florida Southern and Brodie Holmes of the Chargers.
Lalami won three straight-set matches, dropping only six games in the process, before meeting Jouini with a spot in the title match on the line, where he ultimately fell 6-0, 6-4.
Senior Josh Reason and freshman Louis Ingram also competed for the Warhawks, as each played three matches in the tournament. Ingram reached the quarterfinals, where he fell to Soto in three sets. Reason was bested in the round of 16 by Paradis.
In the doubles draw, Ingram and Jouini teamed and advanced to the semifinals, where they fell to Soto and Nestor Perez of UAH. However, in the quarterfinals the duo upset the top-seeded Lueber and Paradis, 8-3.
Lalami and Reason also advanced to the semis, where they fell to Nathan Leavitt and Vladimir Barabash from Florida Southern, 8-1.
The Warhawks will return to action this weekend, when they participate in the ITA South Region Tournament in New Orleans.
AUM News
Zinelabidine
Jouini and Jade Curtis won the singles draw at the ITA South Regionals.
AUM Wins Three Titles at USTA/ITA South Regionals
Tennis -
Mon. Sep. 30, 2013
NEW ORLEANS -- The Auburn
Montgomery tennis teams continued their 2013 Fall season by participating in
the USTA/ITA NAIA South Regional Championship this past weekend. The Warhawks
enjoyed a successful tournament, as seniors Zinelabidine Jouini and Jade Curtis captured their
respective main draw singles titles, while juniors Nicolas Pinones-Haltenhoff and Miguel Grifol won the men's
doubles draw.
For the second consecutive tournament, Jouini
defeated a teammate in the finals of the singles draw, as the Tunis, Tunisia,
native, captured a 6-3, 6-4, victory over junior Othmane Lalami. Jouini won five matches en route to the
championship, including wins over William Carey's Jody Claassen (third seed),
Xavier's Nikita Soifer (six seed) and Grifol (seven seed). He won four of the
matches in straight sets, with the exception being a 4-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-5) win
over Claassen in the round of 16.Lalami received a bye in the first round and won four matches to reach the finals. Highlighting the tournament for Lalami was a 2-6, 7-6 (7-4), 1-0 (10-5) upset of No. 4 seed Kyle Montrel of Xavier in the round of 16.
Grifol advanced to the semifinals of the tournament, before falling to Jouini. The junior picked up a pair of straight-set victories, before upset the No. 2-seed Bruno Tiberti from Georgia Gwinnett, 4-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-3) in the quarterfinals. Grifol dropped his match with Jouini in the semifinals, 6-3, 6-4.
The Warhawks had an opportunity to have all four singles players in the semifinals, but top-seeded Pinones-Haltenhoff was upset by Erik Moberg from Georgia Gwinnett, 7-6 (7-5), 1-6, 1-0 (10-8). Pinones-Haltenhoff dropped just two games in his other two matches.
Also in action for the Warhawks were senior Josh Reason and freshman Louis Ingram, both of whom were defeated by players from Georgia Gwinnett College. Reason advanced to the round of 32 before falling 7-6 (7-4), 6-3 to Evgeny Silitski. Ingram reached the round of 16, where he was defeated by Tiberti, 6-1, 2-6, 1-0 (10-8).
In doubles play, the top-seeded pairing of Pinones-Halthenoff and Grifol dropped just eight games en route to the finals, where they met conference foe's Claassen and Philipp Mueller from William Carey. In the finals, the AUM duo withstood a second-set rally from the Carey tandem to prevail 6-3, 6-7 (3-7), 6-4, and secure the doubles crown.
Jouini and Ingram also competed in the doubles, winning one match before falling to Claassen and Mueller, 8-2.
On the women's side, Curtis claimed the top singles honors. Curtis breezed to the finals, dropping only three games in her first four matches, including a 6-0, 6-1, victory over Brenau's Maria Perdomo-Medina in the semifinals. In the championship match, Curtis faced second-seed Dominika Jasova of Brenau, who tested her before falling in straight sets, 7-5, 6-3.
Fourth-seed Chanel Cunningham also played well, reaching the quarterfinals of the tournament before falling to fifth-seeded Brion Flowers of Xavier. Cunningham defeated Loyola's Wesley Dejoie and Xavier's Amber Brown prior to dropping the 6-1, 6-3, decision to Flowers.
Sophomore Maria Fernanda Vargas and freshmen Bright Phakamad and Celine Lenertz were also in action for AUM.
Vargas dropped her lone singles match of the main draw to Luma Schwab, but strung together four straight victories in the consolation draw to top home the top honor. Vargas defeated Belhaven's Mary Lichlyter, 9-7, in the consolation finals.
Phakamad cruised to a perfect 6-0, 6-0, victory in the first round, before falling to Perdomo-Medina in the round of 32. Lenertz was granted a first round bye, but was defeated by Brenau's Zalina Nazarova, 7-5, 7-4, in the round of 16.
In the doubles draw, Curtis and Cunningham were the No. 2 seed and advanced to the semifinals, where they were upset by third-seeded Jasova and Perdomo-Medina, 8-5. Phakamad and Lenertz were the No. 4 seed, but were defeated by Rocio Fernandez and Victoria Svennson in the quarterfinals, 8-5.
By winning their respective draws, Curtis, Jouini, Pinones-Haltenhoff and Grifol will move on to participate in the ITA Small College National Championships, played in Fort Myers, Fla., from Oct. 10-13.
Complete Tournament Results
2014 Team
Photo
2014 Women's
Tennis Roster
#
|
Name
|
Cl.
|
Pos.
|
Ht.
|
Hometown
|
SR
|
5-6
|
Coffs
Harbour, Australia
|
|||
SR
|
5-3
|
Saltash,
England
|
|||
FR
|
5-4
|
Barquisimeto,
Venezuela
|
|||
FR
|
5-4
|
Sydney,
Australia
|
|||
FR
|
5-2
|
Krabi,
Thailand
|
|||
FR
|
5-5
|
Prague,
Czech Republic
|
|||
SO
|
5-8
|
Bogota,
Columbia
|
# Maria
Fernanda Vargas
Height: 5-8
Class: SO
Hometown:
Bogota, Columbia
2013 [Freshman]: Tallied a 7-15 singles record and a 6-11 doubles mark in her debut season
with the Warhawks … was 5-3 in singles playing from the No. 6 position, and was
3-2 in doubles from the No. 3 spot … ended the year strong, winning both of her
completed singles matches in straight sets at the NAIA national tournament,
dropping only five games in those matches … was 2-2 in SSAC singles matches,
and 2-1 in SSAC doubles contests … won three of her first four matches in both
singles and doubles to start the season.
Prep: A 2011 graduate of Colegio Virtual Siglo XXI in Bogotá, Colombia … was the No. 1 ranked junior player in Colombia … won Colombia Nationals as a junior …participated in the Junior Orange Bowl in Coral Gables, Fla. and the Prince Cup in Miami, Fla. … coached by Patricio Apey.
Personal: Born on March 25, 1994 … majoring in international business.
SR
|
5-6
|
Coffs
Harbour, Australia
|
|||
SR
|
5-3
|
Saltash,
England
|
|||
FR
|
5-4
|
Barquisimeto,
Venezuela
|
|||
FR
|
5-4
|
Sydney,
Australia
|
|||
FR
|
5-2
|
Krabi,
Thailand
|
|||
FR
|
5-5
|
Prague,
Czech Republic
|
|||
SO
|
5-8
|
Bogota,
Columbia
|
AUM News
Women's
Tennis - Wed. Jan. 29, 2014
KANSAS CITY, Mo. ----- The three-time defending national champion Auburn Montgomery women's
tennis team has been voted the top team in the NAIA Women's Tennis Coaches'
Preseason Top 25 Poll, the national office announced late Tuesday.
The Warhawks, which won the 13th national championship in programs history
in 2013, earned 343 total points and all 13 first-place votes. The top ranking
marked the 70th time AUM has secured the No. 1 spot in the poll and the
81st-consecutive poll it has been ranked in the top five. No other NAIA
institution has held the top spot in the poll more than 12 times.
William Carey, a Southern States Athletic Conference foe and last season's national runner-up, was second with 331 points, while Xavier was third. Lindsey Wilson and SCAD-Savannah rounded out the top five.
The SSAC and The Sun Conference led all conferences with four teams in the preseason poll. Joining the Warhawks and Crusaders from the SSAC were No. 6 Brenau and No. 17 Coastal Georgia. Belhaven was among the others receiving votes.
The first regular-season Top 25 poll will be released on Feb. 18.
The Warhawks will open their 2014 season on Friday, Feb. 7, when they travel to Pensacola, Fla., to take on NCAA Division II powerhouse West Florida. The match is slated to begin at 1 p.m.
2014 NAIA Women's Tennis Coaches' Preseason Top 25 Poll (Jan. 28)
William Carey, a Southern States Athletic Conference foe and last season's national runner-up, was second with 331 points, while Xavier was third. Lindsey Wilson and SCAD-Savannah rounded out the top five.
The SSAC and The Sun Conference led all conferences with four teams in the preseason poll. Joining the Warhawks and Crusaders from the SSAC were No. 6 Brenau and No. 17 Coastal Georgia. Belhaven was among the others receiving votes.
The first regular-season Top 25 poll will be released on Feb. 18.
The Warhawks will open their 2014 season on Friday, Feb. 7, when they travel to Pensacola, Fla., to take on NCAA Division II powerhouse West Florida. The match is slated to begin at 1 p.m.
2014 NAIA Women's Tennis Coaches' Preseason Top 25 Poll (Jan. 28)
RANK
|
LAST TIME^
|
SCHOOL (1ST PLACE VOTES)
|
TOTAL POINTS
|
1
|
1
|
Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) (13)
|
343
|
2
|
2
|
William
Carey (Miss.)
|
331
|
3
|
3
|
Xavier
(La.)
|
318
|
4
|
6
|
Lindsey
Wilson (Ky.)
|
312
|
5
|
5
|
SCAD
Savannah (Ga.)
|
300
|
6
|
5
|
Brenau
(Ga.)
|
290
|
7
|
7
|
Embry-Riddle
(Fla.)
|
276
|
8
|
8
|
Northwood
(Fla.)
|
263
|
9
|
9
|
Lewis-Clark
State (Idaho)
|
252
|
10
|
12
|
Vanguard
(Calif.)
|
249
|
11
|
11
|
Oklahoma
Baptist
|
235
|
12
|
10
|
Westmont
(Calif.)
|
225
|
13
|
13
|
Concordia
(Calif.)
|
208
|
14
|
15
|
SCAD
Atlanta (Ga.)
|
198
|
15
|
14
|
Olivet
Nazarene (Ill.)
|
169
|
16
|
16
|
Indiana
Wesleyan
|
167
|
17
|
17
|
Coastal
Georgia
|
162
|
18
|
18
|
Cumberland
(Tenn.)
|
156
|
19
|
19
|
Milligan
(Tenn.)
|
148
|
20
|
NR
|
Georgia
Gwinnett
|
131
|
21
|
20
|
Campbellsville
(Ky.)
|
128
|
22
|
21
|
Marian
(Ind.)
|
116
|
23
|
23
|
Southeastern
(Fla.)
|
112
|
24
|
24
|
Davenport
(Mich.)
|
86
|
25
|
25
|
Bethel
(Kan.)
|
65
|
Others Receiving Votes: Evangel (Mo.) 54; Nebraska Wesleyan 44; Cumberlands
(Ky.) 42; St. Thomas (Fla.) 33; Ashford (Iowa) 30; Graceland (Iowa) 23;
Belhaven (Miss.) 20; Robert Morris (Ill.) 20; Northwestern Ohio 5; Cardinal
Stritch (Wis.) 5.
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