CONWAY, Ark.- Newcomers Ariane Monlleo Sanchis, Tiana Fox, and Aina Domingo-Bernabeu pick up wins at the Central Arkansas Invite over the weekend in the first tournament of the fall season.
 
"Overall, the level of competition was very high," said head coach Giorgia Pozzan. "A lot of strong schools in particular Arkansas, UCA, and Murray State. The girls definitely stepped up to the challenge even though we haven't had much time on the court in the past month. The goal of the weekend was to put in place all the things we have been doing in practice in order to continue improving everyone's individual game. In many spots we showed what Cowgirl tennis is about- grit, poise, and fight for every point."
 
The native of Valencia, Spain, Sanchis began her collegiate career with a strong showing picking up her first career win with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Harding's Ashley Nilsson. In her follow-up match, Sanchis fell 1-6, 5-7 to Natalie Slezakova of Murray State and her match against Harding's Rachel McCrae didn't take place.
 
"I was proud of the way she carried herself during the tournament and of the way she implemented the coaching she has received in practice. She was close to picking up her first doubles win, partnering with Matilde (Mulatero). The duo had match point but wasn't able to close out the match."
 
Fox, also a freshman teamed with sophomore transfer Aina Domingo-Bernabeu to pick up their first win at McNeese. The flight 1 doubles team defeated Oleksandra Nahurska and Arina Sorokina of Oral Roberts 6-4 in their opening match before dropping a pair of 3-6 matches to the double's teams from both UCA and Central Arkansas.  
 
"I was impressed with both players for different reasons," said Pozzan. "Tiana (Fox), being a freshman and playing with that level of poise and confidence and Aina (Domingo-Bernabeu) coming off a week of illness was still able to play high quality tennis. They loss in the semis against a good team and had tons of opportunities to stay close and even potentially win the match.
 
Matilde Mulatero, who played in the strongest draw put up a good fight but fell to Central Oklahoma's Grace Chaddick.
 
"I saw very high-quality tennis from Matilde. Now we have to make sure she can sustain it for three sets instead of one and a half. She is comfortably stepping into the role of leader and mentor of this young team.
 
Natalia Ballo wasn't able to come away with a singles victory but teamed up with ORU's Luna Morini to pick up doubles match victory.
 
"Natalia couldn't come through with a win but gave her opponents a very tough time.  She is making it hard for her opponents to win which is another standard we have for Cowgirl tennis. She improved after every match she played and finished the weekend with great doubles win and I was very happy with what she displayed in doubles."
 
McNeese will return to the court Oct. 1-2 when they will travel to UL-Lafayette for the UL-Lafayette Fall Event.   
 
 
 SINGLES
 
Flight 3 Results
Matilde Mulatero vs. Grace Chaddick (Central Oklahoma) 6-7 (3), 0-6
Mulatero vs. Allison Carpenter (Harding) DNF
 
Flight 4 Results
Aina Domingo-Bernabeu vs. Nejla Zuki (Arkansas State) 2-6, 5-7
Bernabeu vs. Riddhi Sharma (UMKC) w/o
Bernabeu vs. Lindy Carpenter (Harding) w/o
 
Flight 5 Results
Natalia Ballo vs. Gretta Wallin (Southern Arkansas) 6-7 (5), 6-7 (4)
Ballo vs. Pressley Southerland (Arkansas) 2-6, 2-6
Ballo vs. Reagan Miley (Oral Roberts) w/o
 
Flight 6 Results
Tiana Fox vs. Sumomo Hamanaga (UCA) 3-6, 6-2, 2-10
Fox vs. Rai Sengupta w/o
Fox vs. Nastia Timofeyeva (UMKC) DNP
 
Flight 8 Results
Ariane Sanchis vs. Ashley Nilsson (Harding) 6-4, 6-2
Sanchis vs. Natalie Slezakova (Murray State) (1-6, 5-7)
Sanchis vs. Rachel McCrae (Harding) DNP
 
 
 DOUBLES
 
Flight 1 Results
Fox/Bernabeu vs. Nahurska/Sorokina (Oral Roberts) 6-4
Fox/Bernabeu vs. Xin/Nonoyama (UCA) 3-6
Fox/Bernabeu vs. Canete/Canete (Central Oklahoma) 3-6
 
Flight 3 Results
Mulatero/Sanchis vs. Britt/E.Carpenter (Harding) 6-7 (5)
Mulatero/Sanchis vs. Sengupta/Miley (ORU) w/o
Mulatero/Sanchis vs. Timofeyeva/Cardona (UMKC) 1-6
 
Flight 4 Results
Ballo/Morini (ORU) vs. Font (Murray State)/Vdovychenko (Arkansas State) w/o
Ballo/Morini vs. Brody/Humbert (Arkansas State) 6-4