St. John's University Athletics
Friday, April 23
Cayce, S.C (Cayce Tennis Center)
1 p.m.
St. John's University
vs
No. 5 Connecticut (Quarterfinals)
Red Storm Opens BIG EAST Tennis Championships Against Connecticut
4/22/2021 9:15:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Johnnies drew No. 4 seed after a 6-1 regular season
CAYCE, S.C. – The St. John's women's tennis team will take on Connecticut Friday at 1 p.m. in the quarterfinal round of the BIG EAST Tennis Championships presented by Jeep down in Cayce, S.C.
The No. 4 Red Storm (6-1, 2-1 BIG EAST) and No. 5 Huskies (8-4, 2-1 BIG EAST) will meet for the first time this season, marking the first match between the two programs since UConn returned to the BIG EAST.
The Johnnies, who most recently captured the BIG EAST crown in 2018, were picked as the fourth seed heading into the tournament on Monday afternoon behind Xavier, DePaul and Villanova.
After a 4-0 start to the season with wins over Sacred Heart, Wagner, Fairfield and Seton Hall, the Red Storm did not play a match for nearly three weeks before losing in its first match back to Villanova. The Johnnies then closed out the regular season with wins over Stony Brook and Providence, 4-3 and 6-1, a week ago.
While only playing in two matches this season, graduate student and three-time BIG EAST Player of the Year Jessica Livianu figures to be a key piece in the Red Storm's title hopes this season. Livianu went 1-1 on the No. 1 court for the Johnnies and will compete in some of the final matches of her collegiate career down in Cayce.
Najah Dawson slotted into the No. 1 court for the Red Storm in four of the team's seven matches this season where she went 3-1 and finished the season 3-2 overall. The Red Storm junior may play at No. 2 for the Red Storm with Livianu in the lineup, where she has won six of her last eight matches dating back to last season.
Newcomer Emilie Haakansson had a strong first campaign in Queens, finishing the season with a 5-2 singles record while playing most of her matches on the No. 2 court. Senior Kajsa Stegrell led the team in wins this season, closing out the regular season with a record of 6-0 with four of those victories coming in the No. 4 position.
Willa Bay Breunich was right behind Stegrell, also going undefeated in 2021 with a 5-0 record in singles. Fellow sophomore Camila Ordonez went 4-1 in the regular season while senior Gabriela Tenorio went 3-2, closing out the year with a win on the No. 2 court against Providence. Finally, Jenelle Downer appeared in her only match of the season against the Friars, taking it in three sets.
As for Connecticut, they picked up BIG EAST wins this season over Providence and Seton Hall, 7-0 and 5-2, while falling to Villanova, 4-3. The Johnnies and UConn were scheduled to face off back in March, but the contest was canceled due to Covid-19 protocols. The Huskies are 29-7 in doubles contests this season and are led by Julieanne Bou on the No. 1 court, where she posted a 7-4 record in 2021.
The winner of the match between the Red Storm and Huskies will go on to face either No. 1 Xavier or their opponent, which could be either No. 8 Marquette or No. 9 Georgetown, on Saturday at 9 a.m.
The No. 4 Red Storm (6-1, 2-1 BIG EAST) and No. 5 Huskies (8-4, 2-1 BIG EAST) will meet for the first time this season, marking the first match between the two programs since UConn returned to the BIG EAST.
The Johnnies, who most recently captured the BIG EAST crown in 2018, were picked as the fourth seed heading into the tournament on Monday afternoon behind Xavier, DePaul and Villanova.
After a 4-0 start to the season with wins over Sacred Heart, Wagner, Fairfield and Seton Hall, the Red Storm did not play a match for nearly three weeks before losing in its first match back to Villanova. The Johnnies then closed out the regular season with wins over Stony Brook and Providence, 4-3 and 6-1, a week ago.
While only playing in two matches this season, graduate student and three-time BIG EAST Player of the Year Jessica Livianu figures to be a key piece in the Red Storm's title hopes this season. Livianu went 1-1 on the No. 1 court for the Johnnies and will compete in some of the final matches of her collegiate career down in Cayce.
Najah Dawson slotted into the No. 1 court for the Red Storm in four of the team's seven matches this season where she went 3-1 and finished the season 3-2 overall. The Red Storm junior may play at No. 2 for the Red Storm with Livianu in the lineup, where she has won six of her last eight matches dating back to last season.
Newcomer Emilie Haakansson had a strong first campaign in Queens, finishing the season with a 5-2 singles record while playing most of her matches on the No. 2 court. Senior Kajsa Stegrell led the team in wins this season, closing out the regular season with a record of 6-0 with four of those victories coming in the No. 4 position.
Willa Bay Breunich was right behind Stegrell, also going undefeated in 2021 with a 5-0 record in singles. Fellow sophomore Camila Ordonez went 4-1 in the regular season while senior Gabriela Tenorio went 3-2, closing out the year with a win on the No. 2 court against Providence. Finally, Jenelle Downer appeared in her only match of the season against the Friars, taking it in three sets.
As for Connecticut, they picked up BIG EAST wins this season over Providence and Seton Hall, 7-0 and 5-2, while falling to Villanova, 4-3. The Johnnies and UConn were scheduled to face off back in March, but the contest was canceled due to Covid-19 protocols. The Huskies are 29-7 in doubles contests this season and are led by Julieanne Bou on the No. 1 court, where she posted a 7-4 record in 2021.
The winner of the match between the Red Storm and Huskies will go on to face either No. 1 Xavier or their opponent, which could be either No. 8 Marquette or No. 9 Georgetown, on Saturday at 9 a.m.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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