MARYVILLE, Mo. — For the first time in program history, Griffon Tennis heading to the NCAA Division II Sweet 16.
The No. 35 Griffons defeated No. 12 Northwest Missouri State 4-2 on Tuesday at Frank Grube Courts to avenge their loss from earlier this season and knock out the perennial favorite in the NCAA Central Regional. This win over the Bearcats (18-5) is just the second time MWSU (15-6) has beaten its archrival since 1985, doing so last season as well.
DOUBLES
Swinging the momentum their way early and righting a wrong from the first matchup, the Griffons took the doubles point and a 1-0 lead to start the day. The No. 3 team of
Lucia Casas Blas/
Ariella Curci took down Angela Per Moreno/Tyffaine Paige in convincing fashion with a 6-2 win. In No. 2 doubles,
Isabella MacGibbon/
Anais Peralta Criado narrowly defeated Vera Alenicheva/Tessa Kwakernaak 6-4, cementing the first score of the day and leaving No. 1 doubles unfinished.
SINGLES
Northwest fired back in singles action, as No. 11 Alenicheva beat No. 38 MacGibbon 6-1, 6-2 at the No. 1 spot. Casas Blas, the reigning MIAA Freshman of the Year, put the Griffs back in front with a 6-1, 2-6, 6-1 victory over Kwakernaak in No. 3 singles. Missouri Western took a commanding 3-1 lead after No. 4 singles wrapped up with
Cristina Granero Boj taking down Carolina Caetano Reis 6-4, 6-1.
The Bearcats were not down and out yet, as Carolina DeOlivera claimed a point in No. 6 singles, defeating
Nicole Donnelly 5-7, 6-0, 6-0. With the match and the fate of both teams riding on the No. 2 and the No. 5 spots,
Anya Chavez found herself racing over to celebrate with her teammates when Peralta Criado overcame Per Moreno 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 in a three-set thriller in No. 5 singless.
UP NEXT
Still dancing in the NCAA Tournament and now the last team standing from their Central Regional, the Griffons await their opponent at the Sweet 16 in Orlando, Florida.
