Tennis teams drop season opener to DI Nicholls State

The men's result was a 6-1 loss while the women's team fell 7-0

NEW ORLEANS – The Loyola University New Orleans men's and women's tennis teams opened up the 2022 spring season at home in City Park on Friday, facing a tough task against NCAA Division-I program Nicholls State.

Nicholls, which was also playing its first matches of the season, won both. For the Wolf Pack, the men's result was a 6-1 loss while the women's team fell 7-0. 

"We did not get the results we wanted," said Loyola head coach Matt Llewellyn, "but overall I really liked our energy and competitiveness today. It was great to see us fighting with a solid D1 program coming off very little practice and competitions."

The men's singles win came via Francisco Arce Vieyra, who defeated Ricardo Machado from Nicholls 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 at the No. 2 position. Theo Debackere also played a three-set match, coming from behind to force the final set, but he lost 6-4, 3-6, 10-7. 

The No. 21-ranked Loyola women's team did not capture any singles victories, but Lucy Carpenter and Fatima Vasquez lived up to their No. 10 NAIA doubles ranking, as the duo earned a 6-3 victory over a Nicholls team at the No. 1 spot. 

"We're learning a lot about our team," said Llewellyn, "and will continue to improve with each opportunity we have to compete."

You can keep up with the Pack by following Wolf Pack Athletics on Facebook at Facebook.com/LoyolaWolfPack, Twitter and Instagram @LoyolaWolfPack, and by checking out our website at LoyolaWolfPack.com.

Men's Results

Loyola – 1

Nicholls State  – 6

Doubles
1. Salekar/Wehrle (NSU) def. Duchier/Hebhang-Balan (LOYNO) 6-4

2. Babineaux/Machado (NSU) def. Arce/Hovland (LOYNO) 6-1

3. Morsy/Sasso (NSU) def. def. Aure/Motazed (LOYNO) 6-3

Order of finish: 3, 1, 2

Singles
1. Omar Morsy (NSU) def. Aubin Duchier (LOYNO) 7-5, 6-1

2. Francisco Arce Vieyra (LOYNO) def. Ricardo Machado (NSU) 6-3, 3-6, 6-2

3. Piyush Surendra Salekar (NSU) def. Herman Aure (LOYNO) 7-6 (1), 6-3

4. Nicola Wehrle (NSU) def. Remus Hebhang-Balan (LOYNO) 6-4, 6-4

5. Antonio Sasso (NSU) def. Samuel Motazed (LOYNO) 6-1, 6-2

6. Pavle Drobnjakovic (NSU) def. Theo Debackere (LOYNO) 6-4, 3-6, 10-7

Order of finish: 4, 5, 3, 1, 2, 6

Women's Results

No. 21 Loyola – 0

Nicholls State – 7

Doubles
1. L. Carpenter/Vasquez (LOYNO) def. Mount/Safarova (NSU) 6-3

2. Cruz/Forshag (NSU) def. E. Carpenter/Leaño (LOYNO) 6-3

3. Bouygues/Lopez (NSU) def. Briggs/Fereres (LOYNO) 6-1

Order of finish: 3, 1, 2

Singles
1. Simona Maksimovic (NSU) def. Lucy Carpenter (LOYNO) 7-5, 6-4

2. Sophia Safarova (NSU) def. Fatima Vasquez (LOYNO) 6-2, 6-1

3. Jessie Mount (NSU) def. Elly Carpenter (LOYNO) 6-0, 6-0

4. Laura Lopez (NSU) def. Madelynn Chavez (LOYNO) 6-0, 7-5

5. Carla Bouygues (NSU) def. Isabella Leaño (LOYNO) 6-3, 6-1

6. Morgan Forshag (NSU) def. Mathilde Camus (LOYNO) 6-3, 6-4

Order of finish: 4, 5, 1, 2, 3, 6