Moraes wins flight championship on final day

LAFAYETTE, La. – Freshman Nayara Moraes captured her singles flight title Sunday afternoon, leading the Middle Tennessee women’s tennis team to a 5-1 overall final day in singles action at the Ragin’ Cajun Women’s Tennis Classic in Lafayette, La.

Moraes remained unbeaten during her inaugural campaign when she defeated South Alabama’s Mariya Krachok 6-3, 6-2 to clinch the A2 singles crown. The Santos, Brazil, native is now 5-0 as a Blue Raider, including 4-0 during this tournament.

Junior Yuiri Nomoto was victorious in her A2 consolation final on the other side of the bracket, handing Louisiana’s Sandra Ahlquist a 6-2, 6-3 defeat. Senior Marietta Bigus also won her consolation championship match, knocking off Southern Miss’ Alex Bradley 6-2, 6-3 in the B1 flight.

Senior Carla Nava dropped a hard-fought 4-6, 6-1, 10-3 decision to ULM’s Medy Blankvoort to finish as the runner-up in the A1 singles flight.

Two other Blue Raiders earned singles triumphs Sunday afternoon, including sophomore Flavia Nagayama in the A1 singles bracket. She tallied a 6-4, 6-0 victory against McNeese State’s Lara Pujol.

Senior Alex Dachos wrapped up the MT singles action with a 6-2, 6-4 win against Louisiana’s Hannah Appleyard in the A2 flight.

Middle Tennessee garnered just one doubles victory in three tries Sunday. The newly-formed pairing of Nagayama and Nomoto registered an 8-0 triumph against the mixed tandem of Isabelle Rocher of ULM and South Alabama’s Veronika Kalugina in the A1 bracket.

The duo of Moraes and Nava dropped an 8-5 match to ULM’s Blankvoort and Monica Winkel in the A1 doubles championship.

Bigus and Dachos also played together one last time but they suffered an 8-3 loss at the hands of Louisiana’s Milou Israel and Erin Wilbert in the A2 flight.

The Blue Raiders return to action next week when they head to Tuscaloosa, Ala., for the Roberta Alison Fall Classic Friday and Saturday.

Middle Tennessee Results

A1 Singles
Final: Medy Blankvoort (ULM) def. Carla Nava 4-6, 6-1, 10-3
Other: Flavia Nagayama def. Lara Pujol (McN) 6-4, 6-0

A2 Singles
Final: Nayara Moraes def. Mariya Krachok (USA) 6-3, 6-2
Consolation Final: Yuiri Nomoto def. Sandra Ahlquist (UL) 6-2, 6-3
Other: Alex Dachos def. Hannah Appleyard (UL) 6-2, 6-4

B1 Singles
Consolation Final: Marietta Bigus def. Alex Bradley (USM) 6-2, 6-3


A1 Doubles
Final: Blankvoort/Monica Winkel (ULM) def. Moraes/Nava 8-5
Other: Nagayama/Nomoto def. Isabelle Rocher (ULM)/Veronika Kalugina (USA) 8-0

A2 Doubles
Other: Milou Israel/Erin Wilbert (UL) def. Bigus/Dachos 8-3

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