October 17, 2012
SEGUIN, Texas – The St. Mary’s women’s tennis team recently had an opportunity to work out its revamped roster at the Third Annual Doc Skogman Invitational, where the Rattlers were one of 16 schools competing.
The Rattlers’ 10 rackets this season house six new ones with three freshmen, two sophomores and one junior all new to St. Mary’s this season. The two-day tournament held at Texas Lutheran University saw five Rattlers competing, including returning players Valentine Lambrechts (Jr., Andenne, Belgium), Elisha Bryant (Sr., Plano, Texas), Anita Qureshi (Jr., San Antonio) and new players Joanie Bryant (Fr., San Antonio) and Jessa Boertje (Fr., New Braunfels, Texas).
Lambrechts held down the top seed for St. Mary’s, competing in the Women’s A Singles. Lambrechts fell across conferences to Lone Star conference competitor Mariaxi Hererra of Texas A&M University-Kingsville in the quarterfinals, bumping her to the consolation bracket. There, Lambrechts bowed to Temple College 6-3, 6-3 in the semis.
Newbie Joanie Bryant was next in the bracket order for the Rattlers in Women’s B Singles. Bryant shut down the University of the Southwest in the quarterfinals 6-0, 6-1 before the University of Texas-Permian Basin just escaped Bryant, advancing to the finals with a 7-6, 7-5 victory.
Elisha Bryant also fell in the semifinals as her counterpart J. Bryant in the Women’s D Singles. Bryant won out against Heartland Conference rival Katherine Sullivan of St. Edward’s University with a 6-3, 7-6 victory in the quarterfinals before falling in the semis 6-3, 6-3 to Midwestern State’s Kynzee Watson, who would go on to win the championship.
Rattler Qureshi also saw the semifinals in the Women’s E Singles bracket. It was all Heartland Conference for Qureshi, as she beat out provisional conference member McMurry University in the quarterfinals 6-3, 7-6 before rival St. Edward’s topped her in the semis 6-1, 6-3.
In the Women’s F Singles, Boertje nearly won the consolation championship for the Rattlers. LaTourneau University took Boertje 6-2, 6-0 in the quarterfinals before she bounced back to defeat Temple College 6-4, 6-2. In the consolation finals, Boertje saw another glance at rival St. Edward’s, as Hesseltine claimed the championship.
Lambrechts and J. Bryant saw another round of action, competing together in the Women’s A Doubles. North Central Texas College upheld the Rattlers in the quarterfinals, moving the freshman/junior duo to the consolation semifinals. There, Lambrechts and Bryant saw the conference’s University of Texas-Permian Basin take the round 8-5 over the Rattlers.
In St. Mary’s final competition for the tournament, Qureshi and E. Bryant also saw the consolation bracket, just missing the championship. After falling to Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Quershi and Bryant trumped the University of the Southwest in the semis 8-2, advancing to the finals. Our Lady of the University snatched the championship over the Rattlers by a walkover.
The Rattlers’ time at the Third Annual Doc Skogman tournament gives focus to their season ahead as well as a look at what some of their new and returning members can do.