Simon Elfrink
Sports Editor
Murray State women’s tennis opened up the 2021 season on Thursday, Jan. 21, with a 7-0 win over the University of North Alabama at the Kenlake Tennis Center.
Head Coach Jorge Caetano said he and his team could not wait to finally get to compete again, having had their season cut short back in March 2020. When the time finally came to compete once again, Caetano said his players rose to the challenge, despite the rust he knew they had to break off in the process.
“Once everything got started, I think they responded really well,” Caetano said. “North Alabama was the perfect team for us to start the season, because they pushed us. They put us in uncomfortable positions in a lot of the courts, and the girls respond really well when they’re faced with adversity. We got a 7-0 score but it could have easily been 4-3. We could have lost 4-3 if our girls didn’t step up.”
Murray State swept the singles matches, with freshman Sarah Bureau getting a taste of victory in her first match in a Racer uniform, winning her match in two sets. Sophomore Marit Kreugel also won her singles match in two straight (6-0, 6-1), while sophomore Natalie Slezakova competed for the first time since fall 2019 to win her two sets 6-4 and 6-1, respectively.
The response to adversity Caetano spoke so adamantly about came in the form of three-set victories for redshirt senior Sara Loncarevic (4-6, 6-2, 6-2), senior Stasya Sharapova (6-4, 5-7, 6-3) and freshman Gabrielle Geolier (2-6, 6-3, 6-1). Caetano said he was pleased both with the leadership from his players with returning eligibility and with his freshmen in singles.
In doubles, the Racers experienced even more success, with the first doubles match featuring Sharapova and Slezakova owning the court for a 6-1 victory. In the second doubles match, Bureau and Kreugel teamed up for a 6-2 win, and the final doubles match yielded a replica final score, with Sara Loncarevic and Geolier winning 6-2.
While he said his team still needs to break off the rust that has accumulated over ten months without competition, Caetano was thrilled with how the Racers hung with the tight matches and pushed through to victory.
“I think today was a huge team effort,” Caetano said. “We know we didn’t play our best, but we competed really well. They responded really well when they were facing adversity.”
Going forward, Caetano has high hopes for the Racers, saying their leadership and work ethic is beginning to show in their play.
“I enjoy working with this group,” Caetano said. “They always work super hard, and I always told them I know they’re going to put in the work and the time. Now I could see a lot of improvement mentally, too. They are putting in the work mentally from practice to practice, and in the matches now.”
The Racers will try to ride the momentum of their first victory all the way to Columbia, Missouri, where they will take on the University of Missouri on Saturday, Jan. 23, at 9 a.m.
