Box Score

The Grand Valley State women's tennis team opened the 2018-19 season at home and earned a 6-1 victory over Ferris State on Saturday afternoon (Sept. 22). GVSU is now 1-0 overall and 1-0 in the GLIAC while FSU falls to 0-1 overall and 0-1 in conference play.
 
With a new scoring rule set in place by the NCAA this year, doubles play only counts as one point compared to past years when all three doubles matches counted as one point apiece. Teams now need to win two out of the three doubles matches to earn the point.
 
In doubles, Marily Canellopoulos and Vera Griva captured a 6-2 win from the No. 1 pairing, while Livia Christman and Liv Hanover secured the point for the Lakers with a 6-3 victory from the No. 3 spot. At the No. 2 doubles position, Madison Ballard and Nicole Heiniger fought hard but dropped a tough 7-5 decision.
 
The Lakers continued their strong play into singles competition, as they took five of the six matches. At the No. 1 singles position Ballard won 6-1, 6-1, while Griva claimed a 6-0, 6-1,  victory from the No. 2 position. Playing from the No. 3 position was Marija Leko who won in three sets. Leko dropped the first set 6-7 (10-8), but came back and won the next two sets 6-4, 10-7. GVSU scored their fifth and sixth point of the match after Heiniger and Christman both won their matches. Heiniger, who played from the No. 5 spot won in a long three set match by a score of 6-3, 5-7, 10-8, while Christman captured a 6-3, 6-0 win from the No. 6 position.
 
The Bulldogs were able to capture one point from the Lakers at No. 4 singles, after Canellopoulos fought hard but was defeated in three sets by a score of 3-6, 7-5 (5), 7-10.
 
Grand Valley State will hit the road next week as they travel to Caledonia, Mich., to face Davenport on Wednesday (Sept. 26) at 6 p.m., before returning home on Sunday (Sept. 30) for match against Purdue Northwest.