Panthers battle back for semifinal win over Lewis

 
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind.— The Drury Panthers rallied to pull out a 4-3 win over Lewis in the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament semifinals on Saturday in Indianapolis, Indiana.
 
Drury will advance to the GLVC championship game on Sunday with a 15-4 record, while Lewis fell to 13-7.
 
The Panthers, the number seed in the West Division, fell behind 1-0 after doubles. Alma Abazi and Nastasia Jedrychowski won 6-2 over Grace Sueflohn and Benedetta Luccone, but the Flyers evened the doubles matches and clinched the point with their number one team. Casey Smith and Anastasiya Salenko, ranked 44^th nationally, outlasted Ewa Samberger and Kseniia Eremina 7-6.
 
Drury lost a pair of singles matches but pulled even, and the match would be decided between the team’s number five players. Leana Chanove defeated Sage Hills 6-3, 5-7, 6-1 to deliver the win for the Panthers.
 
Drury also picked up singles wins from Clara Kuehnle, Ewa Samberger, and Kseniia Eremina.
 
The Panthers will play East Division champion Indianapolis, ranked ninth in NCAA-II, on Sunday at 8 am (Central) for the GLVC Championship in Indianapolis, Indiana.
 
#45 Drury Panthers 4, Lewis 3
Apr 22, 2023 at Indianapolis, Ind. (UIndy Tennis Center)
 
Singles competition
1. Casey Smith (LEWIS-W) def. #38 N. Jedrychowski (DRURY-W) 6-3, 6-1
2. Clara Kuehnle (DRURY-W) def. Anastasiya Salenko (LEWIS-W) 6-3, 4-6, 6-2
3. Ewa Samberger (DRURY-W) def. Benedetta Luccone (LEWIS-W) 6-2, 6-0
4. Anabel Aguilar (LEWIS-W) def. Alma Abazi (DRURY-W) 3-6, 6-1, 7-5
5. Leana Chanove (DRURY-W) def. Sage Hills (LEWIS-W) 6-3, 5-7, 6-1
6. Kseniia Eremina (DRURY-W) def. Jovana Vujanic (LEWIS-W) 6-2, 6-2
 
Doubles competition
1. #44 Casey Smith/Anastasiya Salenko (LEWIS-W) def. Ewa Samberger/Kseniia Eremina (DRURY-W) 7-6
2. Anabel Aguilar/Sage Hills (LEWIS-W) def. Maria Espejo/Clara Kuehnle (DRURY-W) 7-5
3. Alma Abazi/N. Jedrychowski (DRURY-W) def. Grace Sueflohn/Benedetta Luccone (LEWIS-W) 6-2
 
Match Notes
Lewis 13-7
Drury Panthers-W 15-4; National ranking #45
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (3,6,1,2,4,5)
GLVC Semifinals
A-40