MISHAWAKA, Ind. — The (RV) Bethel Pilots Women’s Tennis team achieved a historic milestone Thursday, upsetting the #19 Marian Knights 4-3 to secure the program’s first Crossroads League Regular Season title at Ward Baker Park on Thursday.
The Pilots, end the conference tilt with a perfect record of 9-0 overall and 8-0 in league play, clinched the doubles point early in the match. Kaavya Palani and Szilvi Ferenczy set the tone with a 6-4 victory over Joell Leihbacher and Michelle Irigoyen in the first doubles match. Yasmin Imamniyazova and Ana Barbosa Fernandez followed suit, defeating Farida El Sayed and Ariadne Kokoula 6-1 in the second doubles. Sandy Sharaf and Kenzie Abdelaal rounded out the doubles sweep with a 6-2 win against Liliane Alinquant and Paloma Caceres Villalba in the third doubles.
In singles play, the competition intensified. Yasmin Imamniyazova triumphed over Ariadne Kokoula 6-2, 2-6, 10-4 in the first singles match. However, Michelle Irigoyen responded for Marian, defeating Kaavya Palani 6-3, 6-1 in the second. Kenzie Abdelaal continued the Pilots’ momentum with a decisive 6-2, 6-0 victory against Ana Barbosa Fernandez in the third singles. Szilvi Ferenczy secured another point for Bethel, overpowering Liliane Alinquant 6-3, 6-0 in the fourth singles. Sandy Sharaf’s 6-2, 6-4 win over Joelle Leihbacher further solidified the Pilots’ lead, while Paloma Caceres Villalba edged Farida El Sayed 7-6, 7-6 in the sixth singles match.
With this victory, the Pilots are set to face the eighth seed in the Crossroads League Tournament, which begins Tuesday, Oct. 1, at Ward Baker Park.