Martin, TN – The Austin Peay State University (APSU) women’s tennis team earned its eighth-straight win in a 7-0 Ohio Valley Conference victory against UT Martin, Friday, at the Skyhawks Tennis Complex, setting the stage for a first-place battle against Southeast Missouri Saturday afternoon.
In what has become a theme for Austin Peay (8-5, 4-0 OVC) over the last month, the Governors claimed the match’s first point after winning a pair of convincing doubles matches.
Danielle Morris and Jana Leder earned their fifth win in as many matches from the No. 2 position, defeating UTM’s Aziza Aubin and Amelia Campbell, 6-3. In their quintet of matches together, Morris and Leder have combined to outscore their opponents, 30-8.
The reigning OVC Women’s Tennis Doubles Team of the Week, Denise Torrealba and Honoka Nakanishi’s match went unfinished while the duo led 5-2 against the Skyhawk’s Jule Streif and Sina Albersmeier.
The Govs have won 15 of their last 16 doubles matches and have now picked up the doubles point in seven-straight contests.
Senior Martina Paladini-Jennings kicked off the Govs in singles, defeating Campbell in a pair of 6-2 sets to pick up her ninth win. Seven of the London, England native’s wins this season have come in straight sets.
Torrealba matched Paladini-Jennings for a team-best nine wins this season with her seventh from the No. 1 position, following a convincing, 6-2, 6-0 win against Streif.
With the seventh win of her freshman campaign, Cheng clinched the victory for the APSU Govs in a 6-4, 6-2 win on the No. 6 line, while Morris remained perfect in singles play, winning 6-3, 6-3 from the No. 4 court.
After falling in her first set, Leder answered with a pair of commanding wins, defeating Albersmeier 6-2 in the subsequent set before sweeping her 6-0 in the final.
The Austin Peay State Unviersity’s sweep against UT Martin is their fourth of the season and first since a 7-0 victory against the University of the Cumberlands, on March 24th.
Results vs. UT Martin
Doubles
- Denise Torrealba / Honoka Nakanishi (APSU) vs. Jule Streif / Sina Albersmeier (UTM), Unfinished at 5-2
- Jana Leder / Danielle Morris (APSU) def. Aziza Aubin / Amelia Campbell (UTM), 6-3
- Aleks Topalovic / Yu-Hua Cheng (APSU) def. Lia Espinal / Jilli Niedzialowski (UTM), 6-0
Order of Finish: 3, 2*
Singles
- Denise Torrealba (APSU) def. Jule Streif (UTM), 6-2, 6-0
- Jana Leder (APSU) def. Sina Albersmeier (UTM), 2-6, 6-2, 6-0
- Martina Paladini-Jennings (APSU) def. Amelia Campbell (UTM), 6-2, 6-2
- Danielle Morris (APSU) def. Lia Espinal (UTM), 6-3, 6-3
- Aleks Topalovic (APSU) def. Aziza Aubin (UTM), 0-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7-4)
- Yu-Hua Cheng (APSU) def. Mizuki Sakurai (UTM), 6-4, 6-2
Order of Finish: 3, 1, 6*, 4, 2, 5
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For news and updates ahead of the Governors’ matches against Southeast Missouri, follow the women’s tennis team on Twitter (@GovsWTN), Instagram (@GovsTennis) and Facebook (Austin Peay Tennis).
Next Up For APSU Women’s Tennis
The Austin Peay State University women’s tennis team continues their two-match road swing with a Saturday 1:00pm match against Southeast Missouri (13-4, 5-0 OVC) at the Redhawks Tennis Complex in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.
In addition to the match being a rematch of the 2021 OVC Championship –in which the Governors defended their 2019 title, erased a 3-1 deficit and defeated SEMO, 4-3, 2021 to claim their eighth OVC title — it is also a battle for sole possession of first place in the Ohio Valley Conference, as APSU and Southeast Missouri enter the contest as the only unbeaten teams in conference play.