Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Post #6-Making easy work of Lincoln

TOPEKA, Kan. -- The Washburn Lady Blues tennis team made easy work the Lincoln Blue Tigers dropping only three games in a 9-0 win. Washburn (6-7, 3-1 MIAA) will take on Northwest Missouri State on Wednesday at the Washburn Tennis Complex at 3p.m.

The No. 1 doubles team of Jamie Blackim and Alyssa Castillo topped Camila Araujo and Alina Katrevich 8-3. Morgan Rainey and Whitley Zitch at No. 2 and Casyn Buchman and Sophie O'Neill at No. 3 won their doubles matches 8-0.

In singles play, it was all 6-0, 6-0 straight set wins for the Lady Blues.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the scoring system used in tennis matches, I have created a short slide show to make sense of the rules and scoring used in competitive tennis. ENJOY!

GO BODS!!

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Post #5- Sickness leads to key 5-4 loss for Lady Blue Netters but pick up play in conference action to top Fort Hays 6-3

The Washburn Lady Blues netters dropped a 5-4 decision to Rockhurt in regional play on the Washburn tennis complex on Friday afternoon.
Washburn was leading 2-1 after doubles action as doubles pairs Whitley Zitch and Morgan Rainey won 8-5 at No. 2 doubles and Casyn Buchman and myself picked up an 8-5 win at No. 3 doubles entering singles play. However, Washburn seniors Rainey at No. 1 singles and Kristen McKee at No. 6 singles both were forced to retire during their matches after succumbing to dehydration and heat sickness due to the warm weather conditions.  Despite these devastating defaults to the overall score against Rockhurst, the lower classmen, Casyn Buchman topped Mary Lanaghan 6-4, 6-2 in No. 5 singles and I managed to win my match over Karsyn Betts at No. 2 singles 6-0, 6-2.
In other news the Washburn Lady Blues picked up play to improve  5-7 overall in regualar season and 2-1 in MIAA conference action against Fort Hays State University the following day on Saturday afternoon.
Washburn was up 2-1 after doubles play after No. 2 doubles pair Whitley Zitch and Morgan Rainey won their match 8-2 and No. 3 doubles team Casyn Buchman and Kristen McKee won 8-3.
Washburn won four of the six singles matches- all in straight sets. No. 1 Rainey won 6-3, 6-3 over Camille Caron-Bedard. Jamie Blackim of Washburn won her match at No. 4 singles while Casyn Buchman and Aylssa Castillo won their matches at No. 5 and No. 6 singles respectively to clinch the match 6-3 over all.
Washburn return to action against Emporia State University in MIAA play at Washburn Tennis Complex on April 3, 2pm .

Come support The Washburn Netters! GO BODS!!


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Sunday, March 11, 2012

Post#4- Wsahburn Lady Blues Sweep Griffons in MIAA Opener

The Washburn Lady Blues tennis team rolled to a 9-0 win over Missouri Western in their MIAA opener on Wednesday night in St. Joseph. Mo.
The Lady Blues only dropped at total of four games in doubles play while the No. 2 team of Myself and Alyssa Castillo tossed a shutout, winning 8-0. The Washburn's aggressive attack on the Griffons continued in singles play where the Lady Blue Netters won all six flights in straight sets, dropping only 11 games in singles play while Castillo picked up a pair of 6-0 wins at No. 5 singles.
The Lady Blues will return to action in MIAA play against Southwest Baptist University this Friday at 2pm at Washburn Outdor Tennis Complex.

Friday, March 2, 2012

Post #3- Washburn tennis action and new recruite!


The Washburn Ichabods tennis team returned to action on Feb, 24, picking up an 8-1 win over Arkansas Fort-Smith in Tulsa Okla. 
The Ichabods opened up doubles play taking 2 of 3 doubles matches. Bobby Florence and Pascal Laught won their No. 2 doubles match 8-4 while Steven Fletcher and new edition to the team, Dario Munoz-Paletti won at No.3 doubles 8-5. 
In singles, the Ichabods swept the Lions taking all the matches while dropping only 16 games in the six flights of play. 

In other news, The Washburn Lady Blue and Ichabods opened their home slate to Nebraska-Kearney at Wood Valley on March 1st. The Ichabods started off by taking two of three doubles matches and then locked the match up by taking five of six singles matches to win 6-2 and improve to 3-1 on the season. The Lady Blues dropped two of three doubles to begin play against Nebraska-Kearney, but rallied to take 4 of 6 singles flights for the come-from-behind win, topping the Lopers 5-4 and evening their record to 2-2 on the season.

Washburn University would also like to welcome new recruit to the Tennis Ichabods, Freshman Dario Munoz-Paletti. Munoz joined the Ichabods at the start of the 2012 Spring semester and is currently rounding up a strong line up at No.6 in singles play and No.3 in doubles play. "We are happy to have such depth in our men's team this year and with Dario playing at the lower end of the line up, we will have a great season. He has great potential and some explosive shots in his game." said Coach Alden, Head coach of the Washburn Lady Blues and Ichabods Netters tennis teams. 

Washburn Netters will be back in action on Saturday, March 3 against Division 1 Illinois-Chicago in Wichita Kan. and Lady Blues will return to action when they open MIAA play to Missouri Western on March 7. 

GO WASHBURN!! 





Sunday, February 19, 2012

Post #2 Washburn Tennis


The Washburn Lady Blues tennis team evened their record at 1-1 on the season with a 9-0 sweep of the future MIAA opponent Lindenwood on Saturday at the Cooper Tennis Center in Springfield, Missouri. Washburn will be off from court action until this Friday, Feb. 24 when they will face Arkansas-Fort Smith.

Washburn opened the match with a pair of 8-2 doubles wins by Alysaa Castillo and Jamie Blackim at No. 1 doubles and Morgan Rainey and Whitley Zitch at No. 2 doubles. Annie Doole and myself (Sophie O’Neill) won our match at No. 3 doubles 8-1.

All six singles matches were won in straight sets as Washburn improved to 1-1 on the season.
In Men’s tennis, The Washburn Ichabods also picked up their first win of the season while handing Lindenwood its first loss of the season in an 8-1 beating over the Lions on Saturday at the Cooper Tennis Complex.

The Ichabods (1-1) swept doubles play over the Lions (3-1) to open up a 3-0 lead. In singles action, Washburn took 5 of the six flights to come away with the 8-1 win. Steven Fletcher, Maciej Winiarz and Dario Munoz each picked up straight set wins.

Best of luck to the Men’s and Woman’s team for their Friday meet in Arkansas against the Fort-Smith Lions!

To follow our team action and find out the latest scores, go to www.wusports.com

GO WASHBURN!!!

Monday, February 13, 2012

Post #1- College Tennis

An increasing amount of international students are studying in the United States because of the amazing opportunity to study and play tennis abroad at a high level through athletic scholarships. I would know, as I am one of the few!
More and more international students are now coming to America to study for their degree's and play tennis as it provides more opportunities than studying in their native countries. Since the beginning of the recession in January 2008, the number of British players alone has jumped from 46 to a staggering 217, with an increase in the last year alone of around 64 players.
Unfortunately in countries like the United Kingdom, sports are not as well funded and promoted and so the term "athletic scholarship" is almost unheard of; even in top Universities with some of the best sporting reputations in the country are limited in what financial aid they can offer to their athletes.
College tennis in the States provides an experience not only to travel around America but to play at a competitively higher level than can possibly ever be achieved in the UK and teaches players what is it to be part of a team.
With word spreading of what can be offered in "The Land of Opportunity" during such times of financial hardship, it is likely that you'll be seeing a lot more unfamiliar faces in years to come!