St. John's University Athletics
Friday, April 23
Cayce, S.C (Cayce Tennis Center)
1 p.m.
St. John's University
4
vs
0
No. 5 Connecticut (Quarterfinals)
Red Storm Blanks Connecticut, 4-0, to Advance to BIG EAST Semifinals
4/23/2021 6:41:00 PM | Women's Tennis
No. 4 seed Johnnies will battle No. 1 Xavier on Saturday morning
CAYCE, S.C. – The No. 4 St. John's women's tennis team blanked No. 5 Connecticut, 4-0, on Friday afternoon to advance to the semifinals of the BIG EAST Tennis Championships presented by Jeep.
The Red Storm (7-1, 2-1 BIG EAST) advanced to the semifinals for the sixth consecutive season with the victory and will battle No. 1 Xavier tomorrow at 9 a.m. On the other side of the bracket, No. 2 DePaul and No. 3 Villanova will battle it out tomorrow afternoon for a birth in the BIG EAST Championship match.
The Johnnies got off to a strong start in doubles play, as Jessica Livianu and Najah Dawson teamed up in doubles for the first time on the season on the No. 1 court and won, 6-4. On the No. 2 court, Emilie Haakansson and Kajsa Stegrell improved to a perfect 6-0 as a pairing, taking their match, 6-2, to give the Red Storm the team point in doubles.
Livianu got the nod from Head Coach Lauren Leo on the No. 1 court and was dominant, taking her match in straight sets, 6-1 and 6-4, to earn her second win of the season. The three-time BIG EAST Player of the Year's other victory this season came against Seton Hall way back on March 19. With Livianu's win, the Johnnies grabbed a 2-0 lead.
The next match to be decided came on the No. 5 court, as Stegrell took her match, 6-2 and 6-3, to put the Johnnies on the brink of victory. For Stegrell, the win marked the seventh of the season in singles as she remained perfect thus far in 2021.
Gabriela Tenorio clinched the victory on the No. 4 court for the Red Storm, dropping her opponent in straight sets, 7-6(5) and 6-1, to earn her fourth victory of the season. The senior has been playing some of her best tennis of late, as she came into the BIG EAST Championships having just won her only bout of the season in the No. 2 slot against Providence.
Haakansson and Dawson were both leading on the Nos. 2 and 3 courts before the match was called, while Camila Ordonez was in a third set tie in the No. 6 position.
The Johnnies now look forward to tomorrow morning's battle with No. 1 Xavier as they try and advance to the BIG EAST Championship match. The Musketeers won their quarterfinal match over Marquette, 4-0, and are 15-3 thus far in 2021 to go along with a 3-0 mark in BIG EAST play. Xavier rides a six-match winning streak into the contest with the Johnnies.
The Red Storm and Musketeers last met in the 2019 BIG EAST semifinals, with Xavier winning that battle, 4-3. St. John's had won the two prior meetings, both of which came in the BIG EAST Championships, in both 2018 and 2017.
Stay tuned to RedStormSports.com and @StJohnsWTennis on Twitter throughout the weekend for schedule updates and results from Cayce, S.C.
Doubles
Jessica Livianu/Najah Dawson (SJU) def. Julieanne Bou/Leonie Hoppe (UC) 6-4
Emilie Haakansson/Kajsa Stegrell (SJU) def. Selen Takunyaci/Denise Lai (UC) 6-2
Caroline Cook/Aleksandra Karamyshev (UC) leading Camila Ordonez/Gabriela Tenorio 5-4 DNF
Order of Finish: 2, 1
Singles
Livianu (SJU) def. Bou (UC) 6-1, 6-4
Dawson (SJU) leading Hoppe (UC) 6-7(4), 6-2, 1-0 DNF
Haakansson (SJU) leading Cook (UC) 6-3, 6-6 DNF
Tenorio (SJU) def. Lai (UC) 7-6(5), 6-1
Stegrell (SJU) def. Takunyaci (UC) 6-2, 6-3
Karamyshev (UC) tied Ordonez (SJU) 6-4, 4-6, 2-2 DNF
Order of Finish: 1, 5, 4
The Red Storm (7-1, 2-1 BIG EAST) advanced to the semifinals for the sixth consecutive season with the victory and will battle No. 1 Xavier tomorrow at 9 a.m. On the other side of the bracket, No. 2 DePaul and No. 3 Villanova will battle it out tomorrow afternoon for a birth in the BIG EAST Championship match.
The Johnnies got off to a strong start in doubles play, as Jessica Livianu and Najah Dawson teamed up in doubles for the first time on the season on the No. 1 court and won, 6-4. On the No. 2 court, Emilie Haakansson and Kajsa Stegrell improved to a perfect 6-0 as a pairing, taking their match, 6-2, to give the Red Storm the team point in doubles.
Livianu got the nod from Head Coach Lauren Leo on the No. 1 court and was dominant, taking her match in straight sets, 6-1 and 6-4, to earn her second win of the season. The three-time BIG EAST Player of the Year's other victory this season came against Seton Hall way back on March 19. With Livianu's win, the Johnnies grabbed a 2-0 lead.
The next match to be decided came on the No. 5 court, as Stegrell took her match, 6-2 and 6-3, to put the Johnnies on the brink of victory. For Stegrell, the win marked the seventh of the season in singles as she remained perfect thus far in 2021.
Gabriela Tenorio clinched the victory on the No. 4 court for the Red Storm, dropping her opponent in straight sets, 7-6(5) and 6-1, to earn her fourth victory of the season. The senior has been playing some of her best tennis of late, as she came into the BIG EAST Championships having just won her only bout of the season in the No. 2 slot against Providence.
Haakansson and Dawson were both leading on the Nos. 2 and 3 courts before the match was called, while Camila Ordonez was in a third set tie in the No. 6 position.
The Johnnies now look forward to tomorrow morning's battle with No. 1 Xavier as they try and advance to the BIG EAST Championship match. The Musketeers won their quarterfinal match over Marquette, 4-0, and are 15-3 thus far in 2021 to go along with a 3-0 mark in BIG EAST play. Xavier rides a six-match winning streak into the contest with the Johnnies.
The Red Storm and Musketeers last met in the 2019 BIG EAST semifinals, with Xavier winning that battle, 4-3. St. John's had won the two prior meetings, both of which came in the BIG EAST Championships, in both 2018 and 2017.
Stay tuned to RedStormSports.com and @StJohnsWTennis on Twitter throughout the weekend for schedule updates and results from Cayce, S.C.
Doubles
Jessica Livianu/Najah Dawson (SJU) def. Julieanne Bou/Leonie Hoppe (UC) 6-4
Emilie Haakansson/Kajsa Stegrell (SJU) def. Selen Takunyaci/Denise Lai (UC) 6-2
Caroline Cook/Aleksandra Karamyshev (UC) leading Camila Ordonez/Gabriela Tenorio 5-4 DNF
Order of Finish: 2, 1
Singles
Livianu (SJU) def. Bou (UC) 6-1, 6-4
Dawson (SJU) leading Hoppe (UC) 6-7(4), 6-2, 1-0 DNF
Haakansson (SJU) leading Cook (UC) 6-3, 6-6 DNF
Tenorio (SJU) def. Lai (UC) 7-6(5), 6-1
Stegrell (SJU) def. Takunyaci (UC) 6-2, 6-3
Karamyshev (UC) tied Ordonez (SJU) 6-4, 4-6, 2-2 DNF
Order of Finish: 1, 5, 4
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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