MOBILE, Ala. —The
University of West Alabama tennis teams
dropped matches to nationally ranked BYU in
Hawai'i on Monday in Mobile, Ala. BYUH, the
nation’s top-ranked team in NCAA Division II
tennis, blanked the Tiger women 9-0 while
the No. 25 Seasiders topped UWA 7-2 in the
men’s match.
The Intercollegiate
Tennis Association released its latest
regional team and initial individual and
doubles rankings. The Tiger women rank
sixth in the South Region while freshman
Nicole Shanahan is listed 11th in
singles competition. The tandem of Shanahan
and Brittany Williams enter the doubles
rankings in the sixth spot. The UWA men
maintained their No. 7 ranking in the
region.
In the men’s match, UWA
(9-7) picked up a point in singles and
doubles. Denton Meintjes won in straight
sets over BYUH’s Ben Stevenson, 7-5, 6-3 at
No. 2. Menintjes teamed up with Lucas Nunes
in doubles competition to claim a 9-7
victory over the Seasiders duo of Agnel
Gladwin Peter and Stevenson.
BYUH’s women’s line up
features the nation’s top-ranked player in
Elwen Li and No. 6 Maggie Deng. The pairing
of Deng and Li is listed at the top doubles
pairing in the country. UWA’s Shanahan fell
to Li 6-0, 6-2 while Mariana Freitas of UWA
dropped a 6-1, 6-1 decision to Deng. The
Seasiders women have won 17-straight matches
to start the season.
Both squads return to the
home hardcourts on Saturday, April 5,
hosting Columbus State at 9 a.m. followed by
a 2 p.m. tilt with Mississippi College at
the Howard R. Vaughan Tennis Complex.
