BRUNSWICK, Ga.- The Ave Maria University women's tennis team played their final match of the 2024 season Wednesday afternoon, as the Gyrenes battled the Bobcats of St. Thomas University in the Sun Conference Tournament quarterfinals. The final score of 4-2 was the same as the regular season meeting between the schools, which was held earlier this month in Ave Maria. AMU claimed the doubles point, as well as one singles match, in the losing effort against the nationally-ranked Bobcats.

Wednesday started well for the Gyrenes, who grabbed a 1-0 lead with the doubles point. St. Thomas won the first doubles match, a 6-1 decision at the third flight, leaving AMU needing the other two. The Gyrenes got that, thanks to a 6-4 win from Vitoria Barandas and Clara Penido at the top flight and a 6-4 triumph from Nicolle Koop and Elizabeth Pince at the second flight. The match at the second flight proved to be the clincher, as Ave moved into singles play with a 1-0 lead.

Singles play was less kind to the Gyrenes, who earned just one win of the five concluded matches. The victory was provided by Clara Penido, who tied the match at 2-2 with a 6-4, 6-3 victory at the third flight. However, the Gyrenes would win just two sets elsewhere, falling short of a trip back to the second day of The Sun Conference Tournament.

St. Thomas earned straight set victories at the sixth, first, and fourth flights to earn their first three points. Needing to win just one of the two matches remaining, the Bobcats got the clincher at the second flight, a 4-6, 7-5, 6-1 victory from Maria Carme Ibanez. The unfinished match at the fifth flight between Lauren Fullerton and Koop had Fullerton ahead 4-0 in the third set when the clinching point was recorded. 

Prior to the start of tournament play, Vitoria Barandas was named Second Team All-Sun Conference, as the league office announced its All-Conference selections and league award winners. Barandas, now a three-time All-Conference selection, won more matches than any other Gyrene this season, claiming 21 total victories. A senior, Barandas graduates ranked second in AMU history in both singles and doubles wins.