Storm Top MWSU, CU In Weekend Sweep

DURANT, Okla. – Southeastern got back in the win column in a big way by picking up a weekend sweep, beginning with a 4-3 victory over Missouri Western State before finishing out the weekend with a 5-2 win over Cameron at the Southeastern Tennis Complex.
 
The wins lift the Savage Storm to 6-5 on the season heading into a pair of home matches, first on March 23 against Dallas Baptist at 10 a.m. followed by the first conference match of the season on March 25 versus Oklahoma Baptist at 2 p.m. at the Southeastern Tennis Complex.
 
Against the Griffons on Friday, the Storm rallied in doubles play from a loss at the one to see Georgia Hosking and India Shiaelis pick up a 6-2 win at number two.
 
The duo of Vanessa Nitu and Elizaveta Tregubova would pick up a 6-4 win at number three to secure the doubles point.
 
Nitu would follow suit up with a 6-4, 6-3 singles win at the two position to push the lead to 2-0, but MWSU would rally with wins at one, four, and three in that order to take a 3-2 lead.
 
Shiaelis would then knot the match at 3-3 with a 6-3, 5-7, 6-1 win at number five.
 
Vanessa Cozamanis would follow by clinching the match with a come-from behind 6-7, 6-3, 7-5 win at number six.
 
"The win against Missouri Western was amazing overall for our team," said head coach Brian Nelson. "We lost to them rather easily last year 4-1 here in Durant. We knew they had a much better team this year, but so do we. The comeback in the third set by Vanessa Cozamanis was one of the best comebacks I've ever seen as a coach. Being down 5-1 in the third set and coming back to win is such a huge feat."
 
Against Cameron, the Storm found itself playing from behind after dropping the doubles point, with Zulay Castaneda and Cozamanis picking up the win at one doubles, 7-6, but SE dropped at two and three.
 
Southeastern rallied in singles play, with Castaneda coming out and running off a 6-1, 6-1 win at one singles to even the match at 1-1.
 
CU would briefly regain the lead with a win at three, but Nitu would hold on for a 7-6, 7-6 win at number two to once again even the score at 2-2.
 
It was all Storm from there as Shiaelis picked up a 6-3, 6-2 win at number four, while Rhythm Aswal clinched the win with a 7-6, 6-1 win at number six.
 
Cozamanis would gut out a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 win at number five to finish off the 5-2 victory.
 
"This was another very big win for our women's team," said Nelson. "It has been several years since our women last beat Cameron. The Cameron women entered the match with a perfect 6-0 record, but that did not bother our women at all. Even though we dropped the doubles point, our women never gave up and battled hard. We have really grown in the past few weeks, bringing a lot of energy and fight into every single dual match. We have been very close in some loses with some ranked teams, and are getting better each week. With some rest over spring break, I expect our women to come out even hungrier than before to see what they can do in the conference and in the region."