Blue Raiders fight through weather on day one in Nashville

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A cold, rainy day did not stop the Middle Tennessee women’s tennis team Friday from posting more solid results, as the Blue Raiders combined for seven singles victories in eight matches and six doubles triumphs among eight contests during opening day action of the June Stewart Invitational in Nashville, Tenn.

Middle Tennessee posted six of its seven wins in straight sets, with senior Taylor Coffey’s come-from-behind 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory over UNC Asheville’s Christine Boissevain in the Ashley Crosby quarterfinals the only match to reach the maximum.

A pair of Blue Raiders earned wins in the Brad Roby flight quarterfinals, as freshman Nayara Moraes handing Memphis’ Andrea Arques-Garcia a 6-0, 6-1 loss and junior Yuiri Nomoto knocking off host Vanderbilt’s Megan Gornet 6-1, 6-1.

Sophomore Flavia Nagayama defeated Belmont’s Abbey Hogan 6-1, 6-0, in the Jason Valentine quarterfinals, while senior Alex Dachos joined Coffey in the same bracket and garnered a 6-4, 6-1 decision against Belmont’s Natalia Nunes.

In the Lise Gregory flight quarterfinals, Lexi Brand tallied a 6-3, 6-1 win against UNC Asheville’s Amryn Soldier and Marietta Bigus posted a 6-1, 6-1 victory over the Bulldogs’ Emily McNall.

The Lori Alexander doubles bracket represented the most success for Middle Tennessee tandems Friday with both pairings winning their respective two matches to set up a flight championship contest Saturday.

Coffey and Dachos started the day with an 8-6 triumph against Carolyn Caire and Laura Stack of Belmont in the quarterfinals before pulling out a 9-8 (3) decision over UNC Asheville’s Boissevain and Devon Cavanaugh in the semifinals.

In the same bracket, Bigus and Brand notched an 8-5 win against Miami (Ohio)’s Katherine Castro and Ramona Costea in the quarterfinals and then earned a 9-7 victory over Belmont’s Hogan and Catherine Holliday in the semifinals.

Nagayama and Nomoto opened the day by handing Natasha Mohan and Alix Thurman of Miami (Ohio) an 8-1 setback in the Craig Clark quarterfinals, but the Blue Raider duo dropped its next match to fall into Saturday’s third-place contest.

Equaling the same record in the same bracket was the combo of Moraes and Nava, who fell in their quarterfinal tilt to Vanderbilt, but Middle Tennessee’s tandem rebounded with an 8-4 win against Memphis’ Arques-Garcia and Kelly Gray in the consolation semifinals.

Tournament action will continue Saturday beginning at 10 a.m. with the final rounds of doubles, followed by second-round singles matches at the Currey Tennis Center on Vanderbilt’s campus.

Middle Tennessee Results:

Kristina Jeffries Singles
Quarterfinal: Alyssa Hibberd (MEM) def. Carla Nava 6-1, ret.

Brad Roby Singles
Quarterfinal: Nayara Moraes def. Andrea Arques-Garcia (MEM) 6-0, 6-1
Quarterfinal: Yuiri Nomoto def. Megan Gornet (VAN) 6-1, 6-1

Jason Valentine Singles
Quarterfinal: Flavia Nagayama def. Abbey Hogan (BEL) 6-1, 6-0

Lise Gregory Singles
Quarterfinal: Lexi Brand def. Amryn Soldier (UNCA) 6-3, 6-1
Quarterfinal: Marietta Bigus def. Emily McNall (UNCA) 6-1, 6-1

Ashley Crosby Singles
Quarterfinal: Taylor Coffey def. Christine Boissevain (UNCA) 2-6, 6-4, 6-3
Quarterfinal: Alex Dachos def. Natalia Nunes (BEL) 6-4, 6-1


Craig Clark Doubles
Quarterfinals: Nagayama/Nomoto def. Natasha Mohan/Alix Thurman (MIAOH) 8-1
Quarterfinals: Ashleigh Antal/Marie Casares (VAN) def. Moraes/Nava 8-5
Semifinals: Alyssa Hibberd/Tiffany Welcher (MEM) def. Nagayama/Nomoto 8-4
Consolation Semifinals: Moraes/Nava def. Andrea Arques-Garcia/Kelly Gray (MEM) 8-4

Lori Alexander Doubles
Quarterfinals: Coffey/Dachos def. Carolyn Caire/Laura Stack (BEL) 8-6
Quarterfinals: Bigus/Brand def. Katherine Castro/Ramona Costea (MIAOH) 8-5
Semifinals: Coffey/Dachos def. Christine Boissevain/Devon Cavanaugh (UNCA) 9-8 (3)
Semifinals: Bigus/Brand def. Abbey Hogan/Catherine Holliday (BEL) 9-7

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