Huskers Score Eight, Lozowski Heads to Consolation Finals

Midland, Texas – The Nebraska women’s tennis team notched eight more wins in the second day of play at the Midland Racquet Club Invitational this Saturday. The team competed in one round of singles, two rounds of doubles and multiple rounds of consolation singles and extra matches.

Senior Brianna Lashway and junior Paula Del Cueto Castillo set the scene for the Huskers on Saturday in their second round of doubles play, as they took down Kalani Soli and No. 3 seed Tamara Arnold of Tyler Junior College. The pair finished off the tight set in a 14-12 tiebreaker, leading them to a 7-6 victory. Lashway and Castillo advanced to face No. 4 seed Iulia Ivascu and Riley McQuaid of Texas A&M University in the quarterfinals, but fell 6-3 in the match.

Jeannie Lozowski was again a powerful force for Nebraska as she battled her way through the consolation singles bracket. The sophomore Florida native started the day with a confident defeat in the quarterfinals over Julia Navajo-Melendez of Texas State University, 6-1, 6-3. In the semifinals, Lozowski pulled a two-set tiebreaker victory over Marlene Herrmann of the University of Alabama Birmingham, 6-3, 7-6 (5). Lozowski will compete tomorrow in the finals of the consolation draw.

The Huskers continued on to bring home five more wins during extra singles matches. Junior Vasanti Shinde snagged a victory over Alex Jones of Texas State University, 4-6, 7-5, 10-6. Sophomore Claire Reifeis scored a win over UAB’s Jana Hecking, 6-4, 6-7 (4), 10-7, as Castillo handily defeated Flavia Gutierrez of Texas State University, 6-1, 6-0. Lashway brought home her fourth win of the tournament in a three-set victory over Anna Wichert of the University of Texas at Arlington, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4, and sophomore M’Balia Bangoura carried in the eighth Husker win of the day with a triumph over Ileana Mocciola of Abilene Christian University, 6-0, 6-4.

Competition will continue for the Huskers on Sunday with the consolation finals and more extra matches.

Fans can stay up-to-date with the Nebraska women’s tennis team by following the team on Twitter, @HuskersWTennis, or by visiting Huskers.com.

Results

Singles

Nanaka Takenchi (UTA) def. Marina Cozac (NEB), 7-6(4), 6-4

Consolation Singles

Jeannie Lozowski (NEB) def. Julia Navajo-Melendez (Texas State), 6-1, 6-3

Jeannie Lozowski (NEB) def. Marlene Herrmann (UAB), 6-3, 7-6(5)

Megan Bertrands (UAB) def. M’Balia Bangoura (NEB), 6-4, 5-7, (15-13)

Nini Miminischi (ACU) def. Emma Worley (NEB), 6-7, 6-2, (10-7)

Doubles

Lashway/Del Cueto Castillo (NEB) def. Arnold/Soli (TJC), 7-6(12)

Ivascu/McQuaid (Texas A&M) def. Lashway/Del Cueto Castillo (NEB), 6-3

Rice/Carr (Ark.) def. Bangoura/Cozac (NEB), 6-1

Arakawa/Cepelyte (Ark.) def. Shinde/Reifeis (NEB), 6-2

Extra Matches

Vasanti Shinde (NEB) def. Alex Jones (Texas State), 4-6, 7-5, 10-6

Claire Reifeis (NEB)  def. Jana Hecking (UAB), 6-4, 6-7(4), 10-7

Paula Del Cueto Castillo (NEB) def. Flavia Gutierrez (Texas State), 6-1, 6-0

Brianna Lashway (NEB) def. Anna Wichert (UTA), 6-4, 2-6, 6-4

Tatum Rice (Ark.) def. Claire Reifeis (NEB), 6-1, 3-6, (10-5)

Sasha Belaya (Ill.) def. Marina Cozac (NEB), 7-6, 6-2

Jordan Henry (ACU) def. Emma Worley (NEB), 1-6, 6-3, (10-8)

M’Balia Bangoura (NEB) def. Ileana Mocciola (ACU), 6-0, 6-4