Senior Days For Emporia State Tennis The Weekend at Kossover

Women's Tennis | 4/24/2025 9:56:00 PM

Emporia State Hornet Women (8-9, 3-4 MIAA)
vs. Ark.-Fort Smith Lions Women (2-17, 0-7 MIAA)
Friday, April 25 | 10:00 a.m. | Kossover Family Tennis Complex | Emporia, Kan.
Live Results: IOnCourt
Emporia State Hornet Women (8-9, 3-4 MIAA)
vs. Northeastern State RiverHawks Women (5-10, 4-3 MIAA)
Saturday, April 26 | 12:00 p.m. | Kossover Family Tennis Complex | Emporia, Kan.
Live Results: IOnCourt
Emporia State Hornet Men (10-7, 2-3 MIAA/GAC North)
vs. Ark.-Fort Smith Lions Men (6-9, 1-3 MIAA/GAC South)
Friday, April 25 | 2:00 p.m. | Kossover Family Tennis Complex | Emporia, Kan.
Live Results: IOnCourt
Live Video: The MIAA Network | Complete Notes in pdf
Up Next:  Men at Southeastern Oklahoma
Men: Sunday, April 27 | 12:00 p.m. | Southeastern Tennis Complex | Durant, Okla.

SENIOR DAYS
The Emporia State men will hold their Senior Day for Hachem Fahem and Harris Kossover prior to their dual with Ark.-Fort Smith on Friday while the Hornet women will recognize Keira Knoflicek, Anastasia Pesic, Andrea Santiago and Paige Stranghoner following their Saturday match with Northeastern State.

LAST TIME OUT
Women
The deciding match of doubles went to a tiebreaker and four singles matches went to a third set as #7 Washburn defeated ESU 5-2.
After Washburn won at #1 doubles, the Hornets came back with a 6-4 win at #2 by Perla Conde and Lilie Bizouerne to even the doubles.  Paige Stranghoner and Anrea Santiago took the Ichabods to a tie breaker before falling 7-6 (7-5) to give WU the early 1-0 lead.
Washburn got a win at #5 to go up 2-0 before Bizouerne took a come from behind 0-6, 6-3, 6-2 win at #4 singles to get Emporia State on the board. The Ichabods took a 3-1 lead with a 6-3, 6-4 at #3 singles. The remaining three singles matches all went to a third set.  Ferreira fell 6-1, 4-6, 6-2 to 15th ranked Ubachs to clinch the dual for Washburn.  Shelley won 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 at #6 over Stranghoner to make it 5-1 before Klimova posted a 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-5) win at #2 to make the final score 5-2.
Men
In a dual that saw four singles matches go to a third set and the doubles point decided in a tiebreaker, ESU fell 5-2 at #21 Harding.
Doubles started with the Bisons #23 doubles team taking a 6-3 win over the Hornets #36 team of Alexis Mattenberger and Gwendal Mazuay. Hachem Fahem and Roko Kacer evened the doubles for Emporia State with a 6-3 win at #3.  The deciding match came down to a tie breaker with Harding winning 7-6 (7-5) over Anton Sarunic and Luke West.
Kacer got the Hornets on the board with a 7-5, 7-5 win at #6 before HU won 6-2, 7-6 (7-4) at #5.  The final four singles matches all went to a third set. The Bisons won 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 at #2 to take a 3-1 lead and clinched the match with a 6-2, 4-6, 7-5 win at the #3 spot. The Bisons #10  de Ruiter, prevailed with a 6-3, 6-7 (2-7), 7-6 (7-1) win over the #22 Sarunic.   Diego Calvo finished the dual for ESU with a 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 win at #4 singles.

COACHES
John Blackburn is 20-14 in his second season as the head men's coach and Director of Tennis at Emporia State. He spent the previous eight seasons as the head coach at NCAA Division III Methodist University in Fayetteville, N.C. He went 117-58 overall with a 54-4 record in conference play, winning three regular season conference championships, two conference tournament championships and made two NCAA Tournament appearances. He was also a head coach at Eastern Illinois, Coker College and Palm Beach Atlantic. 
Former Hornet CyCy Peyroche is 13-21 in her second full season as the permanent coach of the Emporia State women's program. She took over as the interim coach for both teams in December of 2022. She went 6-9 with the men's team and 5-13 in women's action as the interim coach. Peyroche was 23-15 in singles play during her three years as a Hornet before moving into the graduate assistant position.  

QUICK LOOK AT THE HORNETS
Women
Emporia State is 8-9 on the season, 3-4 in the MIAA. The Hornets are 5-1 at home this season against four year schools with two exhibition wins against junior colleges at the Kossover Family Tennis Center. They have gone 1-4 this spring against nationally ranked teams with a 4-3 win over then #38 Rockhurst, a 5-2 loss to then #31 UT-Tyler, a 5-2 loss at #15 Neb.-Kearney, a 5-2 loss at #11 Washburn, and a 6-1 loss at #49 Northwest Missouri.
Giovanna Ferreira has a 6-10 mark at #1 singles this spring and is 10-17 overall with a win over the then #9 player in the nation earlier this spring. Yuliya Klimova is 6-10 at #2 singles and 0-3 at the #1 spot this spring and is 10-16 overall. Perla Conde is 16-10 overall,  11-5 in the spring with a 10-3 record at #3 singles and was named MIAA Female Athlete of the Week on March 12. Lilie Bizouerne is 9-7 this spring with a 3-2 mark at #3 singles, 6-5 record at #4 and is 11-14 overall. She was the MIAA Athlete of the Week earlier this spring. Anastasia Pesic is 10-7 overall and 8-6 this spring, 6-5 at #5 and 2-1 at #4 singles. Paige Stranghoner is 16-10 overall and has a spring record of 8-8, 6-8 at the #6 position. Sheriden Wichman is 6-5 this spring with matches at the #3, #4, and #5 spots. She is 11-11 overall.  
The women have used 11 different doubles combinations this spring. The team of Conde and Bizouerne is 5-4 this spring with a 4-3 mark in MIAA play. Klimova and Pesic are 6-5 this spring with a 4-1 mark at #3 doubles. Conde and Wichman are 5-2 in the spring with a 3-2 mark at the #2 spot. Bizouerne and Stranghoner have played nine matches at the #1 position with a 3-6 record.
Men
The Emporia State men are 10-7 on the season, 2-3 in the MIAA/GAC North Division and have clinched a spot in conference tournament. The Hornets are undefeated at home this season. They have gone 2-6 against nationally ranked teams. 
The Hornets are led by Anton Sarunic who is 16-7 overall this year with a 9-5 mark this spring in dual competition at the #1 slot. He is ranked #22 nationally in the individual singles rankings. Mostafa Elbasnaly is 16-10 overall with an 11-7 record in spring duals with seven wins at #2 and two wins each at #1 and #3 singles. Alexis Mattenberger is 17-9 overall with a 12-6 mark in duals, with a 4-0 mark at the #6 position, 4-6 at #3, 2-0 at #2, and wins at #4 and #5.  Roko Kacer is 4-3 in spring duals, going 2-1 both at #5 and #6. Hachem Fahem is 6-6 this spring with a 3-1 mark at #6 singles. Duvan Santiago Torres is 14-7 overall and has gone 9-3 this spring with four wins at #5 singles. Diego Calvo is 17-9 overall going 2-0 at #3 and having an 8-4 mark at the #4 singles position this spring. 
Mattenberger and Gwendal Mazuay are 12-7 on the spring in doubles going 4-0 at #3, 6-6 at #1 and 2-1 at the #2 position and are ranked #36 in the nation. Sarunic and Luke West are 8-9 this spring with a 5-5 record at the #2 position. Elbasnaly and Fahem are 3-3 in doubles this spring with a 3-1 mark at #2. 

KNOW THE FOES
The Ark.-Fort Smith women are 2-17 overall and 0-7 in the MIAA. The Lions are led by Arianna DeBernardo with a 2-15 record at #1 singles while Taylor Conway is 7-11 at #2 singles and they have combined to go 8-10 at #1 doubles.
The Ark.-Fort Smith men are 6-10 overall and 1-3 in the MIAA/GAC South Division. They have gone 1-2 against North Division this spring. Eduardo Bribliesca is ranked #49 in the nation at 16-5 overall.
The Northeastern State women are 6-10, 4-3 in the MIAA. Tegan Heaton is ranked #47 in the nation with a 16-9 overall record and 8-4 mark at #1 singles.

LAST TIME VS ARK-FORT SMITH WOMEN
Playing with only four players in the dual the Emporia State women fell 8-1 to Ark.-Fort Smith in 2018. The Hornet's Kaley Clark and Sarah Durham claimed the win 8-3 over Sam Wong and Lindsy Pearce in #1 doubles while Shann Williams and Lea Czeron took #2 double over the Hornet's Silvana Caceres and Shannen Meyer 8-3. The Lions won #3 doubles by forfeit due to the Hornets playing the match with only four players.
In singles #1 Kaley Clark fell 6-3, 6-1 to Lea Czeron and Sarah Durham fell 6-4, 6-4 to Lindsy Pearce in singles #2. Silvana Caceres fell 6-3, 6-4 to Shann Williams in singles #3 and Shannen Meyer fell 6-0, 6-4 to Sam Wong in singles #4. With only four players the Hornets were forced to forfeit the final two singles competitions.
SERIES HISTORY
The  Hornets and Lions have split two duals with Emporia State winning 6-3 in 2017 in Joplin, Mo. while UAFS won 8-1 in Emporia in 2018.
 
LAST TIME VS NORTHEASTERN STATE WOMEN
In a tightly contested dual that saw four of the six singles matches go to a third set, Emporia State fell 6-1 at Northeastern State in Tahlequah, Okla.
The RiverHawks took two of three doubles matches to take the early 1-0 lead.  Perla Conde Vendrell and Sheriden Wichman won 6-3 at #3 doubles for the Hornets before the RiverHawks won at #1 and #2 to take the point.
Paige Stranghoner evened things up for Emporia State with a 6-1, 6-2 win at #5 singles.  Four of the last five singles matches all went to three sets. Wichman fell 7-5, 2-6, 6-1 to Sofia Kotliarova at #6 to put the RiverHawks back on top 2-1.  Northeastern State's Sandra Mari Marti defeated ESU's Giovanna Ferreirra 7-5, 6-4 at #3 to go make it 3-1. Andrea Vargas clinched the dual for NSU with a 6-1, 6-7, 6-2 win over Anastasia Pesic at #4 singles. Conde Vendrell fell 6-1, 4-6, 7-5 to Alisha Moldakhmetova at #1 and Lilie Bizourne lost in a third set tiebreaker 6-1, 1-6, 7-6 (8-6) at #2 to give the RiverHawks a 6-1 win.
SERIES HISTORY
The  Hornets are 2-13 all-time against the RiverHawks. Emporia State won 4-3 in 2022 and 6-3 in 2014.

LAST TIME VS NORTHWEST MISSOURI MEN
The Emporia State men's tennis team had a strong day at the EHS Courts winning over non-conference opponent Ark.-Fort Smith 8-1 in 2018. 
Oliver Dixon and Anton Levanovich won 9-8 over Daniel Borrero and Wian Van Dyk in #1 doubles. Patrick Cameron and Matheus Mota defeated Luke Anderson and Brady Kenyon 8-4 in double #2 and Janne Jacobi and Taylor Nelson defeated Zach Delmonso and Andrew Anderson 8-0 in doubles #3.
In #1 singles Oliver Dixon defeated Daniel Borrero 6-3, 7-5 while Charles Gortzounian defeated Wian Van Dyk 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 in #2 singles. Mota defeated Brady Kenyon 4-6, 7-5, 10-8 in #3 singles, Cameron defeated Luke Anderson 7-5, 6-2 in #4 singles, Levanovich was defeated 6-4, 7-5, 12-10 in singles #5 and Nelson defeated Andrew Anderson 6-0, 6-3 in singles #6 to give the Hornets the 8-1 win.
SERIES HISTORY
Emporia State is 2-0 all-time against Ark.-Fort Smith. The Hornets won 8-1 in 2018 in Emporia and 8-1 in Joplin, Mo. in 2017.

HOW TOUGH IS IT?
Five of the top 50 men's teams in the nation are from the MIAA/GAC with three North Division and two South Division teams. Washburn is ranked #9, Northwest Missouri at #40, and Neb.-Kearney is #41 out of the North while the South has Harding at #21 and Ouachita Baptist at #34 nationally. Nine of the 11 member schools have at least one singles player ranked while five have a doubles team nationally ranked. Eight of the current 11 members of the MIAA/GAC alliance have made multiple NCAA Tournament appearances.
The MIAA has two of the top 25 and three total ranked women's teams in NCAA Division II with Washburn ranked #13, Neb.-Kearney at #23 and Northwest Missouri at #37 this week. Six MIAA women's teams have been ranked this spring with five of the six being in the rankings multiple times. Seven schools have at least one nationally ranked singles player. Four of the six teams in the Central Regional last year were from the MIAA and seven of the current ten members of the association have made multiple NCAA Tournament appearances.

EMPORIA STATE IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
The Emporia State women have a 5-5 record in five appearances in the NCAA Tournament, highlighted by a trip to the Sweet 16 in 2007. They made their first appearance in 2005 with a 5-1 win over Colorado Mesa before falling 5-1 to Northwest Missouri in the second round.  The Hornets beat Washburn 5-3 in the first round of 2006 and dropped a 5-4 decision to Northwest Missouri in the second round.  In 2007 they picked up a 5-1 win over Colorado Mesa and a 5-2 win over Neb.-Omaha before falling 5-0 to eventual national champion BYU-Hawaii in the round of 16. ESU completed a five year run of appearances with a 5-3 win over Washburn and a 5-2 loss to Northwest Missouri in 2008.  The most recent NCAA tourney was a 5-0 loss to Augustana in 2014. 
The Hornet men have made two appearances in the NCAA Tournament. They lost 5-1 in the first round to Washburn in 2007 and to Northwest Missouri 5-1 in the first round in 2008.
 
UP NEXT
The Emporia State men are scheduled to travel to Southeastern Oklahoma on Sunday for their final non-division action before the MIAA/GAC Tournament
The MIAA/GAC Men's Tournament is set for April 30-May 2 at the Cooper Tennis Complex in Springfield, Mo.  The top four teams in North Division and top four teams in of the South Division will advance to the Conference Championship Tournament.
The MIAA Women's Tournament is scheduled for May 2-4 at the Cooper Tennis Complex in Springfield, Mo.  The league's top six teams from the regular season will advance to the MIAA Championship Tournament.