Box Score MIAMI GARDENS, Fla.- The Ave Maria University women's tennis team made their first win of 2022 an important one, as the Gyrenes defeated the St. Thomas University Bobcats, 4-3, in Miami Gardens on Saturday. The win opened Sun Conference play for both schools, and saw Ave Maria knock off a Bobcat team that received votes in the preseason NAIA Coaches' Poll.

The Gyrenes took the doubles point despite a loss from their top team. Despite dropping the number one doubles match, the Gyrenes rallied for wins at the second and third spots to take the point. Andrea Rodriguez Oria and Julia Candiotto won a 7-5 decision at the number two spot, and the team of Aethielle Kelkboom and Valentine Colin picked up a 6-4 win at the third position, giving Ave Maria a 1-0 lead heading into singles play.

Ave Maria's top three players sealed the win for the Gyrenes, as wins at the first, second, and third positions gave AMU the team win. It was a closely contested stretch of singles matches, with five of six matches going to a third set. 

AMU's most dominant win of the day was provided by Colin, who rolled to a 6-4, 6-0 win at the number two spot. At the number one position, Lara Teodoro rallied from a 6-4 defeat in the first set to take the final two frames, 6-1, 6-3. Rodriguez Oria also rallied from a loss in the first set, taking the third flight by a 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 score.

The wins at the top three flights sealed the win for Ave Maria, but two other matches went to a third set and were decided by a 10-point tiebreaker. Vitoria Barandas dropped a 6-4, 3-6, 10-4 decision at the number four spot, while Nicolle Koop fell 6-3, 5-7, 10-3 at the number five spot.

AMU's women start the season with three consecutive matches against teams that are either nationally ranked or receiving votes in their respective divisions. That streak continues next Saturday, when the Gyrenes host the Southeastern University Fire, who also received votes in the first NAIA Coaches' Poll, on the AMU campus, which will mark the 2022 home opener for Ave Maria. Opening serve of the match, the second Sun Conference match of the season for Ave Maria, is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.