SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Gardner-Webb women's tennis team wrapped up the 2019 fall season at the Wofford Fall Invitational where the Runnin' Bulldogs captured three championships – two in doubles play and singles championships by Valentine Limauge and Manon Delsol.
Daniela Naupari and Miljana Ristic, who teamed up at No. 1 doubles last spring, won the gold doubles bracket. The duo topped Arkansas State's Shelby King and Shannon O'Brien, 7-5, in the first round to advance to the semifinals. In the semifinals, the pair defeated Daniela Dankanych and Anna Smith of Marshall, 7-6(4). Wofford's Elizabeth Massie and Jordan Vroman awaited Naupari and Ristic in the championship, and the Gardner-Webb duo won a close match, 7-6(4).
Delsol and Limauge also won a doubles championship. The pair received a first-round bye in the white doubles bracket, and defeated Presbyterian's Katie Thompson and Ella Rowley, 6-3, to secure their spot in the championship. The finale of the bracket went to a tiebreaker, but the Gardner-Webb held steady and beat another pair from the Big South Conference – Marielle Leahy and Camryn McClure of Radford – 7-6(3).
Mayumi Saguchi and Milica Panic also made their way into the championship match, but suffered a setback in the final match, finishing as the runner-ups in the gray doubles division. A 6-2 win in the opening round advanced Saguchi and Panic to the semifinals where they defeated Radford's Alexis Cramer and Wofford's Alexandra Hill. Cramer and Hildell received a first-round bye, and fell to Gardner-Webb duo, 6-2. The Runnin' Bullodgs' duo faced off against Big South duo Anastasia Horvat and Lauren Watson-Steele in the championship. Saguchi and Panic took two games from their in-state rivals, but fell, 6-2, finishing as the runner-ups.
Limauge advanced to the championship match of the white singles matches with a win on Friday and Saturday respectively. Limauge UNC Asheville's Brianna Taranto in three sets, 6-3, 4-6, 10-8 to begin play and topped another Big South opponent – Radford's Katie Fruehauf – on Saturday. The Brussels, Belgium native was victorious in straight sets over Fruehauf, 6-2, 6-0. In Sunday's championship, she topped Jutte Van Hansewyck, dropping just four games in two sets to win 6-4, 6-0.
In the college singles division, Delsol made her way to the finals of the bracket with a pair of two-set wins. Delsol topped Western Carolina's Emily Elliott on Friday, 6-1, 7-6(3) on Friday and Wofford's Hildell on Saturday. Delsol dropped just five games to Hilldell, winning 6-1, 6-4. In the championship, she battled another player from the host school, Rebecca Rubanov, and earned a convincing 6-0, 6-2 win.
Naupari kicked off play for the Runnin' Bulldogs in the black singles bracket with a Friday win over Big South opponent Gabriella Cevallos, 6-1, 6-3. In the second round of the bracket, she fell to Elizabeth Massey of Wofford in three sets. Massie won by scores of 7-6(3), 3-6, 10-8. For her final match, she took on Arkansas State's Berta Masip on Sunday morning. Naupari fell in straight sets, 6-4, 6-1, in her last match of the fall season.
Ristic competed in the gold singles bracket and suffered two defeats over the first two days of action. Ristic dropped a 6-3, 6-2 decision to UNC Ashville's Anna Grace Duhgal on Friday and lost to Arkansas State's Pornpawee Pramethong on Saturday, 6-2, 6-1. To complete play, she defeated Radford's Drousile Dzeubou, 6-3, 6-1.
Saguchi went 1-1 in the Socon bracket before Sunday's finale. On Friday, she fell to Watson-Steele despite forcing a tiebreaker that went 22 points and ended in favor of Watson-Steele, 12-10. Saguchi picked up her first win of the weekend on Saturday when she topped USC Upstate's Maria Jardim, 7-6(4), 6-1. Saguchi fell to Presbyterian's Jessica Leemer, 7-6(4), 6-1 in her lone match on Sunday
Panic split her matches on Friday and Saturday in the gray singles bracket. She began the tournament with a win over Snigdha Musgunthan in straiaght sets, 6-3, 7-6(5). In her match on Saturday morning, she was Wofford's Ansley Hardeman, although it took Hardeman three sets to reach the championship match. After Hardeman won the first set, 6-2, Panic evened the match with a 6-4 win in set two, but Hardeman took won the super tiebreaker to clinch her spot in Sunday's main draw finale. Panic battled Presbyterian's Shelley Ray on the final day of play,winning in straight sets, 6-4, 6-1.
With the fall season complete, the Runnin' Bulldogs will now begin preparations for the 2020 spring season. The spring schedule will be announced at a later date, but stay tuned to @GWUWTEN on Twitter and gwusports.com for the latest women's tennis news.
