Men's Tennis 1/25/2020 8:43:00 PM Kent Partridge

Tigers Split Tennis Exhibition at Jax State

JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – The West Alabama tennis program came home from a visit to NCAA Division I Jacksonville State with a split in an exhibition match to open the 2020 spring season. The Tiger women defeated the Gamecocks, 4-3, while the men lost, 5-2.

Haina Franco and Thea Yang won at No. 1, while Hardija Vidnere and Morgan Bishop were winners at No. 3 to give the doubles point to the Tigers.

Jacksonville State won the first three courts in women's singles before UWA captured courts three through six to take the match. Valeria Arevalo defeated Alessia Locati 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 at No. 4. Vidnere was a 6-4, 6-2 winner over Balsen Kaya at No. 5 and Bishop defeated Sara Jamal 6-1, 2-6, 6-4 at No. 6.

"This is a great way for the women to start the year, I am proud of how they competed," West Alabama head coach Jeff Beaman said. "The men started strong with the doubles point but had a lot of tough singles matches to fall a bit short."

Ilari Vesanen and Christopher Bulus were 6-4 winners at No. 1 men's doubles, while Anton Lof and Patricio Nieto won 6-4 at No. 3. Bulus won UWA's only singles match, defeating Joaquin Vallejo 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 at No. 2.

Both them Tiger men and women travel to Southern Miss for another exhibition this week. The women play Wednesday and the men Thursday. First serve is 2 p.m. for both matches.

Women
West Alabama 4, Jacksonville State 3

Doubles

Haina Franco/Thea Yang (UWA) def. Cristina Moll Alles/Harriet Hamilton (JSU) 7-6
Sara Jamal/Balsen Kaya (JSU) def. Valeria Arevalo/Daryna Hukasian (UWA) 6-4
Hardija Vidnere/ Morgan Bishop (UWA) def. Alessia Locati/Malin Beuchner (JSU) 6-1

Singles

Cristina Moll Alles (JSU) def. Haina Franco (UWA) 6-4, 6-3
Malin Beuchner (JSU) def. Daryna Hukasian (UWA) 6-4, 7-6
Harriet Hamilton (JSU) def. Thea Yang (UWA) 6-3, 6-3
Valeria Arevalo (UWA) def. Alessia Locati (JSU) 4-6, 7-5, 6-2
Hardija Vidnere (UWA) def. Balsen Kaya (JSU) 6-4, 6-2
Morgan Bishop (UWA) def. Sara Jamal (JSU) 6-1, 2-6, 6-4

Men
Jacksonville State 5, West Alabama 2

Doubles

Ilari Vesanen/Christopher Bulus (UWA) def. Thomas Norwood/Aljaz Kaplja (JSU) 6-4
Guillermo Agost/Jordi Blanchar (JSU) def Noah Johansen/Ilia Dehodiuk (UWA) 6-1
Anton Lof/Patricio Nieto (UWA) def. Joaquin Vallejo/Sergio Lizarraga (JSU) 6-4

Singles

Guillermo Agost (JSU) def. Ilari Vesanen (UWA) 6-2, 4-6, 6-1
Christopher Bulus (UWA) def. Joaquin Vallejo (JSU) 3-6, 6-2, 6-4
Thomas Norwood (JSU) def. Ilia Dehodiuk (UWA) 6-3, 6-4
Dmitrii Vasilev (JSU) def. Noah Johansen (UWA) 6-4, 7-5
Aljaz Kaplja (JSU) def. Anton Lof (UWA) 6-4, 6-3
Jordi Blanchar (JSU) def Nuutti Jokinen (UWA) 6-2, 6-2

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Players Mentioned

Haina Franco: 5' 3"; Sophomore

Daryna Hukasian: 5' 5"; Graduate Student

Valeria Arevalo: 5' 4"; Junior

Morgan Bishop: 5' 6"; Junior

Thea Yang: 5' 7"; Freshman

Ilia Dehodiuk: 5' 11"; Sophomore

Noah Johansen: 6' 3"; Junior

Anton Lof: 5' 11"; Senior

Ilari Vesanen: 6' 2"; Sophomore

Christopher Bulus: 6' 1"; Junior

Players Mentioned

Haina Franco
: 5' 3"; Sophomore

Daryna Hukasian
: 5' 5"; Graduate Student

Valeria Arevalo
: 5' 4"; Junior

Morgan Bishop
: 5' 6"; Junior

Thea Yang
: 5' 7"; Freshman

Ilia Dehodiuk
: 5' 11"; Sophomore

Noah Johansen
: 6' 3"; Junior

Anton Lof
: 5' 11"; Senior

Ilari Vesanen
: 6' 2"; Sophomore

Christopher Bulus
: 6' 1"; Junior