DES MOINES, Iowa – The Omaha women's tennis team traveled to the Drake Invite this weekend for its second fall tournament.
The Mavericks' weekend was highlighted by nine combined wins in doubles play over the three-day span.
"This was a challenging weekend with the heat and humidity," said head coach Adam Summitt. "I think it affected every team here, but we did our best with it even though it was a difference maker. We had some great matches and we learned a lot about the way we need to play."
The team of Emily Behling and Marie Kapelevich won the Doubles Flight B title with three straight wins. The duo had a bye in the first round and defeated Creighton's Benson and Augustana's Falkner (8-3) in the second round, followed by an 8-5 win over Augustana's Goble and Rosu. The flight was capped off by an 8-4 win over South Dakota's Stanciu and Janickova in the championship.
In that same flight, Omaha also saw the duo of Rylee Tucker and Justine Linscott capture the consolation bracket title. After the team fell to USD's Stanciu and Janickova in the first round, Tucker and Linscott bounced back and won two matches. They won by default over Salmaso and Krivickaite of Missouri Western State and Upper Iowa, and captured a victory over Aguirre and Lavallee of Creighton (8-4).
In the Doubles A flight, Natalie Lorentz and Savanna Crowell finished third overall. The team won 8-6 over Lazarevic and Kmoskova of South Dakota and 8-5 over Drake's Williams and Neville. Lorentz and Crowell fell to Augstana's Staniszweska and Vierya (8-3), but followed up with a third-place win over Drake's Palumbo and Walczak (8-5). Also in the flight, Ines Absisan and Janelle Wilson picked up a first-round win over Northern Iowa's Proudfoot and Caro (8-4).
"We played some great doubles, which is a major point we want to take this spring," said Summitt. "Emily Behling and Marie Kapelevich also did a great job winning their flight."
Omaha returns to action against in-state rival Creighton for its third fall tournament. The Mavericks head to the Creighton Invite, which lasts Sept. 28-29.
