Teresa Durham, Staff Writer
Winning at 9-0 against Lander’s Bearcats on Sunday and against Young Harris’ Mountain Lions on Saturday, the women are at 10 wins and one loss in the Peach Belt Conference.
The Pirates were pitted against North Wood University’s Nighthawks on Saturday in the last conference match. This match was to be held Friday, April 7 but severe wind prompted a rescheduling. There is one non-conference match Friday, April 14 against Auburn University Warhawks at 1 p.m. at home.
With new strategies and doubles pairs, Armstrong players are making a substantial finish to their final season as Pirates.
The power duo of junior NCAA Division II Champion Lena Lutzeier and freshman Paula Boixader Roca were untouchable in both matches. Only Elin Rundcrantz and Eva Castiglioni from Young Harris were able to get one game off the pair in No. 1 doubles. Isabella Schulz and Caroline Yodice from Lander were unable to do even that.
Boixader Roca beautifully set up Lutzeier for several drop shots and corner hits that surprised their opponents.
Mountain Lions’ Carol Quevedo and Maria Puerta lost to the other new mix pair of senior Diana Stomlega and freshman Tatjana Stoll, 8-2. Yuriko Ono and Nelli Lius from the Bearcats also lost 8-2 to Stomlega and Stoll for No. 2 doubles.
Sophomore Alice Patch and junior Tamri Chalaganidze had some issues on Saturday in No. 3 doubles with Mountain Lions’ Oriana Labaqui and Laura Sanchez, but they managed to streak out a win at 8-6. They improved in Sunday’s match against Ivanka Mocic and Julia Suzuki where they won 8-2.
Eva Castiglioni (Young Harris) and Ivanka Mocic (Lander) both lost to Lena Lutzeier for No. 1 singles 6-2, 6-1.
Mountain Lions’ Elin Rundcrantz was easily taken care of by Paula Boixader Roca in No. 2 singles, losing to her at 6-3, 6-0. Boixader Roca had a tough time against Yuriko Ono on Sunday, with a lot of net and out balls. She had a strong start winning the first set 6-4, but fell behind in the second, losing 3-6. Boixader Roca made a solid ending in her 10-point tiebreak, where she fought hard to win 10-7 as the last lady Pirate to finish the all-over sweep.
At No. 3 singles, Tatjana Stoll had trouble with a slow-pace opponent, but won in two sets, 7-5, 6-1 against Young Harris Mountain Lions’ Oriana Labaqui. Her match against Nelli Lius from Lander went smoother at 6-1, 6-1.
Switching it up even more, Alice Patch played No. 5 singles on Saturday against Young Harris’ Carol Quevedo and No. 4 singles against Caroline Yodice from Lander. Patch efficiently took both women down at 6-1, 6-0.
Diana Stomlega only lost one game the entire weekend to Laura Sanchez from the Mountain Lions, defeating Sanchez at 6-1, 6-0. Her opponent from the Bearcats, Julia Suzuki, was not able to land a single game.
Tamri Chalaganidze held No. 6 singles all weekend, losing two games to Maria Puerta (Young Harris), on Saturday and winning against Isabella Schulz (Lander).
