
Photo by: CofCSports.com
Women's Tennis Splits Matches on Senior Day
3/31/2018 6:45:00 PM | Women's Tennis
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. – The College of Charleston women's tennis team (13-10) had a mixed bag on Saturday at Patriots Point, narrowly falling 4-3 to CAA Rival Elon (12-9) before bouncing back to defeat Notre Dame of Ohio (2-9) 7-0 on senior day.
The Cougars' match against the Falcons lasted less than an hour and a half, as CofC cut through the short-staffed Notre Dame. All three doubles pairings won their encounters 6-0, Ava Turner was the first player off in singles with a 6-0, 6-0 win, and the Cougars' victory was complete and decisive.
CofC's match with the Phoenix was hotly-contested, though Elon grabbed a significant advantage early on by winning doubles and two singles encounters to seize a 3-0 lead.
Christi Woodson stemmed the tide when she defeated Erica Braschi 6-3, 6-2 on court two. At that point, things looked promising for CofC with all three remaining Cougars bouncing back nicely after surrendering opening sets. However, Helena Nyikos surrendered a second set lead to Olivia Lucas to fall 7-5, 7-5, which ended the College's comeback before it truly got rolling.
Nonetheless, Turner Yates and Anastasia Palaska both fought valiantly to give the Cougars two more points, despite the match being decided. Yates fought back against adversity to claim a 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 victory over a clearly frustrated Alex Koniaev on court five, while Palaska endured not one but two tiebreaks to outlast Maria Paraja 6-7(5), 6-4, 11-9 on court four.
The Cougars return to action in two weeks when they head to Wilmington for a pair of matches against Towson and UNCW.
ELON 4, CofC 3
SINGLES
Olivia Lucas (ELON) def. Helena Nyikos (CofC) ~ 7-5, 7-5
Christi Woodson (CofC) def. Erica Braschi (ELON) ~ 6-3, 6-2
Suzanne Zenoni (ELON) def. Rachel McNeely (CofC) ~ 6-3, 6-2
Anastasia Palaska (CofC) def. Maria Paraja (ELON) ~ 6-7(5), 6-4, 11-9
Turner Yates (CofC) def. Alex Koniaev (ELON) ~ 3-6, 6-2, 6-4
Kirsten Ward (ELON) def. Sarah Jane Jones (CofC) ~ 6-1, 7-5
Order of Finish: 3, 6, 2, 1*, 5, 4
DOUBLES
Koniaev/Paraja (ELON) def. Palaska/Woodson (CofC) ~ 6-2
Braschi/Lucas (ELON) def. McNeely/Nyikos (CofC) ~ 6-2
Ward/Zenoni (ELON) def. Arciniegas/Yates (CofC) ~ 7-6(4)
Order of Finish: 2, 1, 3
CofC 7, NDC 0
SINGLES
Helena Nyikos (CofC) def. Laura Herrera (NDC) ~ 6-1, 6-1
Rachel McNeely (CofC) def. Ameer Robertson (NDC) ~ 6-1, 6-0
Sarah Jane Jones (CofC) def. Emily Hofsess (NDC) ~ 6-0, 6-0
Catalina Medici (CofC) def. Camryn Kidd (NDC) ~ 6-0, 6-0
Ava Turner (CofC) def. Taylor Bruck (NDC) ~ 6-0, 6-0
Laura Arciniegas (CofC) ~ Win by Default
Order of Finish: 6, 5, 3, 4, 2, 1
DOUBLES
Nyikos/Palaska (CofC) def. Hofsess/Robertson (NDC) ~ 6-0
Jones/Woodson (CofC) def. Herrera/Kidd (NDC) ~ 6-0
McNeely/Zschunke (CofC) def. Bruck/Philippi (NDC) ~ 6-0
Order of Finish: 3, 1, 2
The Cougars' match against the Falcons lasted less than an hour and a half, as CofC cut through the short-staffed Notre Dame. All three doubles pairings won their encounters 6-0, Ava Turner was the first player off in singles with a 6-0, 6-0 win, and the Cougars' victory was complete and decisive.
CofC's match with the Phoenix was hotly-contested, though Elon grabbed a significant advantage early on by winning doubles and two singles encounters to seize a 3-0 lead.
Christi Woodson stemmed the tide when she defeated Erica Braschi 6-3, 6-2 on court two. At that point, things looked promising for CofC with all three remaining Cougars bouncing back nicely after surrendering opening sets. However, Helena Nyikos surrendered a second set lead to Olivia Lucas to fall 7-5, 7-5, which ended the College's comeback before it truly got rolling.
Nonetheless, Turner Yates and Anastasia Palaska both fought valiantly to give the Cougars two more points, despite the match being decided. Yates fought back against adversity to claim a 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 victory over a clearly frustrated Alex Koniaev on court five, while Palaska endured not one but two tiebreaks to outlast Maria Paraja 6-7(5), 6-4, 11-9 on court four.
The Cougars return to action in two weeks when they head to Wilmington for a pair of matches against Towson and UNCW.
ELON 4, CofC 3
SINGLES
Olivia Lucas (ELON) def. Helena Nyikos (CofC) ~ 7-5, 7-5
Christi Woodson (CofC) def. Erica Braschi (ELON) ~ 6-3, 6-2
Suzanne Zenoni (ELON) def. Rachel McNeely (CofC) ~ 6-3, 6-2
Anastasia Palaska (CofC) def. Maria Paraja (ELON) ~ 6-7(5), 6-4, 11-9
Turner Yates (CofC) def. Alex Koniaev (ELON) ~ 3-6, 6-2, 6-4
Kirsten Ward (ELON) def. Sarah Jane Jones (CofC) ~ 6-1, 7-5
Order of Finish: 3, 6, 2, 1*, 5, 4
DOUBLES
Koniaev/Paraja (ELON) def. Palaska/Woodson (CofC) ~ 6-2
Braschi/Lucas (ELON) def. McNeely/Nyikos (CofC) ~ 6-2
Ward/Zenoni (ELON) def. Arciniegas/Yates (CofC) ~ 7-6(4)
Order of Finish: 2, 1, 3
CofC 7, NDC 0
SINGLES
Helena Nyikos (CofC) def. Laura Herrera (NDC) ~ 6-1, 6-1
Rachel McNeely (CofC) def. Ameer Robertson (NDC) ~ 6-1, 6-0
Sarah Jane Jones (CofC) def. Emily Hofsess (NDC) ~ 6-0, 6-0
Catalina Medici (CofC) def. Camryn Kidd (NDC) ~ 6-0, 6-0
Ava Turner (CofC) def. Taylor Bruck (NDC) ~ 6-0, 6-0
Laura Arciniegas (CofC) ~ Win by Default
Order of Finish: 6, 5, 3, 4, 2, 1
DOUBLES
Nyikos/Palaska (CofC) def. Hofsess/Robertson (NDC) ~ 6-0
Jones/Woodson (CofC) def. Herrera/Kidd (NDC) ~ 6-0
McNeely/Zschunke (CofC) def. Bruck/Philippi (NDC) ~ 6-0
Order of Finish: 3, 1, 2
Players Mentioned
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Charleston Men's Basketball Post Game Press Conference vs. Drake (11/17/25)
Tuesday, November 18
Charleston Men's Basketball Post Game Press Conference vs. SC State (11/14/25)
Saturday, November 15
Charleston Women's Basketball Post Game Press Conference vs. Iona (11/14/25)
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