Xavier University Athletics
Monday, April 26
Cayce, S.C.
9 AM
Xavier University
4
vs
1
DePaul
Women's Tennis Wins 2021 BIG EAST Championship
04.26.21 | Women's Tennis, Featured
Musketeers earn a berth to the NCAA Championship
CAYCE, S.C. - Xavier women's tennis lived up to its top seeding in the 2021 BIG EAST Tournament, securing the conference title with a 4-1 win over No. 2 seed DePaul in Cayce, S.C. on Monday. The title marks the program's second BIG EAST Championship, also winning the title in 2016.
Xavier jumped out to a 1-0 lead with a dominating performance across the board in doubles, then picked up the first two singles matches, from Anna Roggenburk on No. 3 and Imani Graham on No. 4, in straight sets, to take a 3-0 lead. DePaul picked up the point on the No. 5 court, to make it 3-1 Xavier, with all three remaining courts in a third set. On the No. 2 court, Kat Lyman battled through a foot injury in the second set to come back in the third set, winning 7-6, 3-6, 6-2, to seal the match at 4-1 for Xavier. The win was Xavier's 17th overall and eighth straight, including six-straight against BIG EAST opponents.
Following the championship match, Anna Roggenburk was named the Most Outstanding Player for the tournament after going 4-0 for the tournament. Roggenburk picked up wins in straight sets in the No. 2 spot in the semifinal against St. John's and in the No. 3 spot against DePaul. Roggenburk, combined with Imani Graham, also helped clinch the doubles point in the matches against Marquette and St. John's.
The Musketeers earned an automatic to the 2021 NCAA Tournament, the program's second berth, and will learn its draw during the Division I selection show on Monday, May 3 at 6:00 p.m. on NCAA.com. The 2021 NCAA DI women's tennis tournament will run from May 16-28, opening at preliminary sites before continuing at USTA National Campus (Collegiate Center) in Orlando, Fla.
In doubles action, Xavier was in control across the board, taking a 5-2 lead on all three courts. Kat Lyman and Kaitlin Ruether picked up the 6-2 win on the No. 3 court and almost immediately after, Ahmeir Kyle and Emily Thomas sealed the point with a 6-2 win on the No. 1 court. Anna Roggenburk and Imani Graham led 5-2 on the No. 2 court when the point was decided.
In singles play, Anna Roggenburk quickly made it a 2-0 Xavier advantage with a win in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2, on the No. 3 court, her seventh-straight win and 15th singles win overall.
Imani Graham continued her outstanding freshman season, taking point on the No. 4 court, 6-4, 6-3, for her team-best 16th singles win, including the last eight straight.
DePaul picked up a point on the No. 5 court, 6-3, 6-3, against Kaitlin Ruether to make it 3-1 Xavier.
With the final three singles courts in a third set, Kat Lyman, on the No. 2 court, battled back to take the first set in tiebreakers, 7-6, before falling 3-6 in set two. Lyman came back to take the point and seal the win with a 6-2 victory in set three, setting the final score at 4-1, Xavier. The singles win was Lyman's 13th of the season.
Ahmeir Kyle was in a third set, 5-7, 7-6, 2-5, in the No. 1 court, and Emily Thomas was in a third set, 6-3, 6-7, 2-4, on the No. 6 court when the point was decided.
1. Kyle, Ahmeir (XU-W) vs. Aspasia Avgeri (DEP) 5-7, 7-6, 2-5, unfinished
2. Lyman, Kat (XU-W) def. Alina Kuzmenkova (DEP) 7-6, 3-6, 6-2
3. Roggenburk, Anna (XU-W) def. Lenka Antonijevic (DEP) 6-2, 6-2
4. Graham, Imani (XU-W) def. Yuliya Kizelbasheva (DEP) 6-4, 6-3
5. Marija Jovicic (DEP) def. Ruether, Kaitlin (XU-W) 6-3, 6-3
6. Thomas, Emily (XU-W) vs. Maddie Yergler (DEP) 6-3, 6-7, 2-4, unfinished
Doubles competition
1. Kyle, Ahmeir/Thomas, Emily (XU-W) def. Lenka Antonijevic/Alina Kuzmenkova (DEP) 6-2
2. Graham, Imani/Roggenburk, Anna (XU-W) vs. Marija Jovicic/Yuliya Kizelbasheva (DEP) 5-2, unfinished
3. Ruether, Kaitlin/Lyman, Kat (XU-W) def. Aspasia Avgeri/Maddie Yergler (DEP) 6-2
Match Notes:
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1); Singles (3,4,5,2)
Xavier jumped out to a 1-0 lead with a dominating performance across the board in doubles, then picked up the first two singles matches, from Anna Roggenburk on No. 3 and Imani Graham on No. 4, in straight sets, to take a 3-0 lead. DePaul picked up the point on the No. 5 court, to make it 3-1 Xavier, with all three remaining courts in a third set. On the No. 2 court, Kat Lyman battled through a foot injury in the second set to come back in the third set, winning 7-6, 3-6, 6-2, to seal the match at 4-1 for Xavier. The win was Xavier's 17th overall and eighth straight, including six-straight against BIG EAST opponents.
Following the championship match, Anna Roggenburk was named the Most Outstanding Player for the tournament after going 4-0 for the tournament. Roggenburk picked up wins in straight sets in the No. 2 spot in the semifinal against St. John's and in the No. 3 spot against DePaul. Roggenburk, combined with Imani Graham, also helped clinch the doubles point in the matches against Marquette and St. John's.
The Musketeers earned an automatic to the 2021 NCAA Tournament, the program's second berth, and will learn its draw during the Division I selection show on Monday, May 3 at 6:00 p.m. on NCAA.com. The 2021 NCAA DI women's tennis tournament will run from May 16-28, opening at preliminary sites before continuing at USTA National Campus (Collegiate Center) in Orlando, Fla.
 |
THE MATCH |
In singles play, Anna Roggenburk quickly made it a 2-0 Xavier advantage with a win in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2, on the No. 3 court, her seventh-straight win and 15th singles win overall.
Imani Graham continued her outstanding freshman season, taking point on the No. 4 court, 6-4, 6-3, for her team-best 16th singles win, including the last eight straight.
DePaul picked up a point on the No. 5 court, 6-3, 6-3, against Kaitlin Ruether to make it 3-1 Xavier.
With the final three singles courts in a third set, Kat Lyman, on the No. 2 court, battled back to take the first set in tiebreakers, 7-6, before falling 3-6 in set two. Lyman came back to take the point and seal the win with a 6-2 victory in set three, setting the final score at 4-1, Xavier. The singles win was Lyman's 13th of the season.
Ahmeir Kyle was in a third set, 5-7, 7-6, 2-5, in the No. 1 court, and Emily Thomas was in a third set, 6-3, 6-7, 2-4, on the No. 6 court when the point was decided.
|
|
RESULTS |
2. Lyman, Kat (XU-W) def. Alina Kuzmenkova (DEP) 7-6, 3-6, 6-2
3. Roggenburk, Anna (XU-W) def. Lenka Antonijevic (DEP) 6-2, 6-2
4. Graham, Imani (XU-W) def. Yuliya Kizelbasheva (DEP) 6-4, 6-3
5. Marija Jovicic (DEP) def. Ruether, Kaitlin (XU-W) 6-3, 6-3
6. Thomas, Emily (XU-W) vs. Maddie Yergler (DEP) 6-3, 6-7, 2-4, unfinished
Doubles competition
1. Kyle, Ahmeir/Thomas, Emily (XU-W) def. Lenka Antonijevic/Alina Kuzmenkova (DEP) 6-2
2. Graham, Imani/Roggenburk, Anna (XU-W) vs. Marija Jovicic/Yuliya Kizelbasheva (DEP) 5-2, unfinished
3. Ruether, Kaitlin/Lyman, Kat (XU-W) def. Aspasia Avgeri/Maddie Yergler (DEP) 6-2
Match Notes:
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1); Singles (3,4,5,2)
|
|
VIDEO |
Anna Roggenburk picks up the point on No. 3 singles in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2! Xavier leads 2-0.#LetsGo pic.twitter.com/aa70GTeGma
— XU Women's Tennis (@XavierWTEN) April 26, 2021
Imani Graham takes the 6-4, 6-3 win on the No. 4 court and Xavier now leads, 3-0, over DePaul for the BIG EAST Championship!#LetsGoX pic.twitter.com/Z0GIAd4fEZ
— XU Women's Tennis (@XavierWTEN) April 26, 2021
🎥 | Kat Lyman clinches the BIG EAST Championship with a 7-6, 3-6, 6-2 win on the No. 2 court!#LetsGoX pic.twitter.com/FZv98s1YZS
— XU Women's Tennis (@XavierWTEN) April 26, 2021
|
|
PHOTOS |
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
3,1
#1 Singles Match
1234
Aspasia Avgeri / 0 [DEP]
765UF
572UF
#2 Singles Match
123
Alina Kuzmenkova / 0 [DEP]
662
736
#3 Singles Match
12
Lenka Antonijevic / 0 [DEP]
22
66
#4 Singles Match
12
Yuliya Kizelbasheva / 0 [DEP]
43
66
#5 Singles Match
12
Marija Jovicic / 0 [DEP]
66
33
#6 Singles Match
1234
Maddie Yergler / 0 [DEP]
374UF
662UF
Order of Finish:
3,4,5,2
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
INTERVIEWS | Imani Graham and Anna Roggenburk (WTEN NCAA)
Monday, May 01
2022 Women's Tennis Selection Show
Tuesday, May 03
2020 - Hall of Fame Inductees
Monday, January 13
Doug Matthews - Women's Tennis Preview
Wednesday, September 12