Seton Hall University
Navy Blue & Gold Invitational
Strike, Guryanova Win on Day One at Navy
10/11/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
The Hall put up a day of tight matches to open the Navy Blue and Gold Invitational on Friday. On the first day of the event, which lasts until Sunday, one round of singles matches was played. Doubles matches will begin on Saturday as Friday's weather conditions caused a change in scheduling.
Freshman Luize Liva Strike (Riga, Latvia) continued a successful rookie campaign, advancing to the top singles flight quarterfinals of the invitational with a 6-2, 4-6, 10-2 victory over Towson's Sophia Lesage. The freshman has started her career as a Pirate with three consecutive quarterfinals appearances.
"Luize got off to a great start," said head coach Greg Wyzykowski. "I was really pleased with the way she got going, and while she had a set loss in the second, it was good to see her finish off the match with a victory."
Senior Anna Guryanova (Moscow, Russia) delivered the other victory on the day for the Pirates in a thriller. The senior broke out of the gates with a solid start, and despite losing the second, Guryanova emerged out of the match against Navy's Summer Ralston with a 6-4, 4-6, 10-8 victory in the fourth singles flight.
In the third singles flight, junior Julia Keenan (Greenland, N.H.) received a bye and will face Mary Washington's Chrissy Gaul on Saturday. Keenan's five wins are tied with freshman Katie Kim (Honolulu, Hawaii) for the most on the team.
Kim was involved in a tight match on Friday with Rozel Hernandez in second singles flight action. After taking the first set 6-3, Hernandez answered with a 7-6 victory in the second. The third went back and forth, before Hernandez just sneaked by to win 13-11 to take the match.
"I think Katie's match is an example of our toughness," Wyzykowski said. "We really fought until the finish in every one of our matches today. We have work to be done but the level of competition is impressive."
The Pirates will begin play at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday in Maryland with doubles competition.
Junior Isabell Klingert (Oberlach, Germany) and Keenan will play in the top doubles flight while freshman Marisa Quevedo (Tyler, Texas) will partner up with Strike. Both pairings will partake in the top doubles flight.
"We are trying something new with Marisa and Luize, and I look forward to watching them try to work together as a new pairing," Wyzykowski said.
Senior Madison Shoemaker (Halfmoon Bay, British Columbia) and freshman Kim will participate in the second doubles flight.
The Hall is joined at the three-day event by the hosts, U.S. Naval Academy, as well as Delaware, Howard, LIU-Brooklyn, Longwood, Mary Washington, Towson and BIG EAST rivals Georgetown.
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