CLARKSVILLE – Austin Peay State University women's tennis team did not surrender a single set en route to its third-straight victory of the season after sweeping McKendree, 7-0, Tuesday, at the Governors Tennis Courts.
The Governors (3-5) claimed the match's first point after picking up dominant victories in all three doubles matches.
Senior Martina Paladini-Jennings and freshman Yu-Hua Cheng earned their fourth win this season in a 6-0 victory from the No. 3 position, while Jana Leder and Danielle Morris – in her first appearance this spring – defeated McKendree's Rhyan Cook and Maria Vitoria Salomao, 6-0, on the No. 2 doubles court.
With the doubles point already in hand, the Govs' top pairing of Denise Torrealba and Honoka Nakanishi won their third-straight match of the season in a 6-1 triumph over the Bearcats' tandem of Viola Cipriani and Camilla Fonseca.
After beginning the season 2-3 in singles from the No. 4 singles position, Paladini-Jennings entered Tuesday's contest on a two-match winning streak after being elevated to the No. 3 position. The London, England native extended her streak against the Bearcats, winning 6-0, 6-0.
Like Paladini-Jennings, Torrealba was elevated to the No. 1 position prior to the Govs' match against Western Kentucky March 4. Since then, the Neu-Isenburg, Germany native has won three-straight matches from the No. 1 court and is tied with Paladini-Jennings with five singles wins this season following her 6-2, 6-0 win against the Bearcats.
Needing just one more point to secure the win after Paladini-Jennings and Torrealba's victories, Leder won 6-0, 6-1 over Fonseca from the No. 2 singles court to claim her second win of the season.
Anchoring the singles line, Cheng picked up the Govs' second of three double bagels of the day in a 6-0, 6-0 win from the No. 6 position, while Nakanishi won 6-3, 6-2 from the No 4 position.
In her first duals action since the Govs match against Georgia in the NCAA Women's Tennis Championship, May 7, 2021, Morris swept McKendree's Emily Kettering 6-0, 6-0 to cap off the Govs' second-straight sweep of the season.
Up Next
The Governors face the University of the Cumberlands at 1 p.m., March 24, at the UC Tennis Complex in Williamsburg, Kentucky.
Results vs. McKendree
Doubles
- Denise Torrealba / Honoka Nakanishi (APSU) def. Viola Cipriani / Camilla Fonseca (MCK), 6-1
- Jana Leder / Danielle Morris (APSU) def. Rhyan Cook / Maria Vitoria Salomao (MCK), 6-0
- Martina Paladini-Jennings / Yu-Hua Cheng (APSU) def. Emily Kettering / Bailey Brigg (MCK), 6-0
Order of Finish: 3, 2*, 1
Singles
- Denise Torrealba (APSU) def. Viola Cipriani (MCK), 6-2, 6-1
- Jana Leder (APSU) def. Camilla Fonseca (MCK), 6-0, 6-1
- Martina Paladini-Jennings (APSU) def. Rhyan Cook (MCK), 6-0, 6-0
- Honoka Nakanishi (APSU) def. Maria Vitoria Salomao (MCK), 6-3, 6-2
- Danielle Morris (APSU) def. Emily Kettering (MCK), 6-0, 6-0
- Yu-Hua Cheng (APSU) def. Bailey Grigg (MCK) 6-0, 6-0
Order of Finish: 3, 1, 2*, 6, 4, 5
Coach's Corner
Austin Peay head coach Ross Brown
On the winning streak… "We had some strong competition to begin the year, but these last few matches have been really good for us. I believe our women have been playing better tennis here recently even than they did last season. Now, that is still not enough to win conference this year. We still need to improve our doubles and continue to have a present focus when we play and project a strong image on the court. The girls are working hard and we have a good plan going forward.
On Martina Paladini-Jennings and Denise Torrealba's recent play … "Martina and Denise, like all the other girls on our team, are working hard and have had some good match wins here recently. If they are winning and want to move up, I'll move them up in the lineup like I did. I want to give them that opportunity. Denise is a solid player. She is going to be very difficult to be beat by any team in our conference and she still has ways that she can improve. Martina has played great tennis this year… it has been great for us with how well she has been playing all year.
Follow the Govs on Social
For news and updates ahead of the Governors' match against the University of the Cumberlands, follow the women's tennis team on Twitter (@GovsWTN), Instagram (@GovsTennis) and Facebook (Austin Peay Tennis).
