SPOKANE, Wash. – The Gonzaga women's tennis team continued its home tournament today with a 4-1 doubles record and a 7-5 singles showing at the Stevens Center. Three Bulldogs advanced to their championship matches in singles, while one duo did so for doubles.
In the doubles semifinals, Emily Robertson/Safien Boulonois dismantled Portland 6-1, then Savannah Johnson/Ella Nielsen fell 6-4 to Utah State.
The Zags won all three of their consolation/extra doubles matches on Saturday. In the consolation bracket, Norhan Hesham/Brooke Bittner advanced to tomorrow's final by surviving USU 7-6 (5) and EWU 7-5. Rose Hayes/Lia Espinal took down PSU 6-2 in an extra doubles bout.
Emily Robertson, Ella Nielsen, and Brooke Bittner — in separate singles brackets — each won two matches on Saturday, advancing to their respective finals. Robertson and Bittner defeated both opponents in straight sets, while Nielsen's semifinal went the distance. Nielsen took the first frame tiebreaker, dropped the second set 6-3, then outlasted her PSU opponent 10-4 in the deciding super tiebreaker.
Safien Boulonois beat Portland in an exciting quarterfinal, but couldn't overcome another Pilot in the semis, while Norhan Hesham, Rose Hayes, and Lia Espinal each fell in the quarterfinals. Savannah Johnson dropped her consolation singles match.
Up next: The Gonzaga Invitational concludes tomorrow at the Stevens Center in Spokane. Tomorrow's competition will include championship matches in doubles and singles, along with extra/consolation bouts.
Results
Gold Doubles:
Semis – Emily Robertson/Safien Boulonois def. Aleksandra Dimitrijevic/Lexie Flores (Portland) 6-1
Red Doubles:
Semis – Ana Sabikova/Natalie Paterova (USU) def. Savannah Johnson/Ella Nielsen 6-4
Consolation Doubles:
Quarterfinals – Norhan Hesham/Brooke Bittner def. Olivia Halvorsen/Magdalena Nunez Pureco (USU) 7-6 (5)
Semis – Norhan Hesham/Brooke Bittner def. Isabella Foshee/Kenzington Mann (EWU) 7-5
Extra Doubles:
Rose Hayes/Lia Espinal def. Scarlett Perkins/Elizabeth Strongina (PSU) 6-2
Gold Singles:
Quarterfinals – Emily Robertson def. Alaia Rubio Perez (Portland) 6-3, 6-4
Semis – Emily Robertson def. Isabella Foshee (EWU) 6-1, 6-1
Quarterfinals – Safien Boulonois def. Nadine Arbaizar Martinez (Portland) 6-2, 3-6, 12-10
Semis – Sally Pethybridge (Portland) def. Safien Boulonois 6-3, 6-3
Quarterfinals – Isabella Foshee (EWU) def. Norhan Hesham 6-3, 0-6, 10-8
Blue Singles:
Quarterfinals – Ella Nielsen def. Leandra Nizetic (EWU) 6-3, 6-3
Semis – Ella Nielsen def. Nene Uemura (PSU) 7-6 (3), 3-6, 10-4
Quarterfinals – Ana Sabikova (USU) def. Rose Hayes 6-3, 6-2
Red Singles:
Quarterfinals – Brooke Bittner def. Ayra Salim (PSU) 6-1, 6-4
Semis – Brooke Bittner def. Mia Ljubas (MSU) 6-4, 6-1
Quarterfinals – Meagan Pearson (Portland) def. Lia Espinal 6-4, 7-6 (3)
Consolation Singles:
Cielo Tapia-Cruz (USU) def. Savannah Johnson 6-1, 6-2
