Saints Smash Cowley for Third Place Finish in OKC

It was just a third place match at the Seminole State Dual Match Classic in Oklahoma City, but it was more than that to the 4th ranked Seward County Saints as they took on the rival Cowley Tigers. After splitting their matches on Friday against #12 Jacksonville and #3 Seminole State, the Saints crushed the Tigers on Saturday for 3rd place, blanking Cowley 9-0 in a statement win as the two teams prepare for the upcoming Region VI Tournament later this month.

In their first match of the weekend, the Saints took on 12th ranked Jacksonville. Despite resting a number of their normal starters, the Saints had no trouble with the Jaguars. Seward swept all three doubles spots, getting wins from Gabriel Nery and Alex Mosehle at #1, Duro Opacic and Przemek Zielinski at #2, and Renato Santos and Ngoni Makambwa at #3 to take a 3-0 lead in the match. That meant Seward only needed two singles wins to advance in the bracket and that didn’t take long as Opacic and Ondrej Nice cruised to straight set wins at #2 and #3 to wrap up a 5-0 win for the Saints.

#4 SEWARD COUNTY/#12 JACKSONVILLE BOX SCORE<http://www.sewardsaints.com/sports/mten/2016-17/files/MSewardJacksonville2.pdf>

The win set up a #3 vs. #4 showdown in the semifinals as the Saints took on the Seminole State Trojans. Seward didn’t fare very well against Head Coach Greg Owen’s alma mater as they managed just one doubles win, coming from Carlos Anez and Nice at #1 as they trailed 2-1 to singles action. The Saints lost key third set tiebreaks at #1 and #3 as Seminole charged ahead 4-1 and then sealed the victory with a win at #4 to finish off the match 5-2. Seward’s only singles point came courtesy of Opacic at #2 who downed Karim Ouattra 6-3, 6-2.

#4 SEWARD COUNTY/#3 SEMINOLE STATE BOX SCORE<http://www.sewardsaints.com/sports/mten/2016-17/files/MSewardSeminole2.pdf>

The Saints came out focused on Saturday as they squared off against their rivals from Arkansas City, the 9th ranked Cowley Tigers in the 3rd place match. It was a top five ranked matchup in #1 doubles where the Saints #1 ranked pair in Anez and Nice took on 4th ranked Aubry/Michenka from Cowley. Anez and Nice held serve against the Tigers with an 8-5 win while Nery and Mosehle hung on for an 8-6 win at #2 to put Seward up 2-0. Opacic and Zielinski sealed the doubles sweep for the Saints with an 8-3 victory to make it 3-0 Seward to singles. After losing third setters on Friday at #1 and #3, the Saints collected tiebreak victories at those two spots Saturday as Anez knocked off Guillerme dos Santos and Zielinski bounced Michenka to put the Saints up 5-0. Opacic knocked off 17th ranked Lucas Freitas at #2 and Nice downed 35th ranked Julian Aubrey-Damon at #4 while Claudio Quinones and Makambwa finished off a dominating 9-0 win for Seward with victories at #5 and #6.

#4 SEWARD COUNTY/#9 COWLEY BOX SCORE<http://www.sewardsaints.com/sports/mten/2016-17/files/MSewardCowley2.pdf>

Seward continues to extend their school record for wins in a season to 17 as they improve to 17-4 on the year with the 2-1 weekend.

The Saints will be back at it on Friday and Saturday as they hit the road to take on Midwestern State and Cameron as they continue to prepare for the upcoming Region VI Tournament in Great Bend.

Women

The 6th ranked Seward County Lady Saints played arguably their best doubles of the year this weekend at the Seminole State Dual Match Classic, winning seven of nine over three matches to lead them to a second place finish at the tournament, conceding to just top ranked Tyler in the Championship Match in a 2-1 weekend.

The Lady Saints started their weekend against Jayhawk Conference rival Barton in the first round of the tournament. Sticking with their familiar lineup in singles action, the Lady Saints dominated the Cougars for the second time in less than a week. Thalita Rodrigues and Lisa Suzuki took the court at #1 for Seward, winning an 8-5 decision for the Lady Saints first point of the day. Sarah Manseri and Steffany Bermudez cruised to a 8-4 win at #2 and the dynamic duo of Madison Hoelting and Tadi Mrewa finished off the doubles sweep with an 8-1 win at #3 to put Seward up 3-0. Resting Rodrigues and Suzuki for singles play, Seward still had no trouble in finishing off the match against the Cougars as Manseri stepped into the #1 spot for an 8-5 win Bermudez cruised 8-1 at #2 and Mrewa and Hoelting both posted shutouts at #5 and #6 to finish off a 7-2 win for Seward.

#6 SEWARD COUNTY/#17 BARTON BOX SCORE<http://www.sewardsaints.com/sports/wten/2016-17/files/WSewardBarton2.pdf>

The competition ramped up for the Lady Saints in their second match of the day as they squared off against #9 Seminole State. Again it was a strong start in doubles that got Seward going. Rodrigues and Suzuki willed their way to a 9-8 win over 6th ranked Victoria Seifert and Celine Masserreu to get Seward going and Manseri and Bermudez took an 8-5 battle at #2 to put the Lady Saints up 2-0. Hoelting and Mrewa finished off a clean sweep for the Lady Saints in doubles at #3 with an 8-4 win as Seward took a 3-0 lead to singles. The Trojans stormed back, winning at each of the top four singles spots to take a 4-3 lead on the Lady Saints, but it was Martina Borges and Mrewa to the rescue at the bottom of the lineup, winning close at #5 and #6 to clinch a 5-4 win for Seward.

#6 SEWARD COUNTY/#9 SEMINOLE STATE<http://www.sewardsaints.com/sports/wten/2016-17/files/WSewardSeminole2.pdf>

The win over Seminole gave the Lady Saints a shot at the tournament title, but they had a mountain in front of them to get that title as they took on #1 Tyler. Again the Lady Saints jumped out ahead with a doubles victory at #2 behind Manseri and Bermudez, but the Apaches took the points at #1 and #3 to take a 2-1 lead after pairs play. Rodrigues earned her most impressive win of the season at #1 singles as she hammered 4th ranked Jasmine Asghar 6-2, 6-3 to even things up, but Tyler dominated the other singles spots with wins at #3, #4, and #5 to pick up the needed five points for the 5-2 win.

#6 SEWARD COUNTY/#1 TYLER BOX SCORE<http://www.sewardsaints.com/sports/wten/2016-17/files/WSewardTyler2.pdf>

The Lady Saints see their eight match win streak end in the title match, but still improve to 14-5 with the two win weekend.

Seward will be back at it this weekend when they take on a pair of Division II foes in Midwestern State and Cameron Friday and Saturday on the road.