Team pic in the snow!

Still a picture taken on our way to Fresno. At home it was a beautiful, sunny day, on our way (not even 2 hours from here) snow in the mountains! California is awesome..

Lion of the Week!

Als eerste tennisser van dit jaar! Helemaal vereerd en natuurlijk superleuk!

By Beth Renkoski

03/31/06

Donkervoort Battles to Lion of the Week

Costa Mesa, Calif – Sophomore women’s tennis player Damia Donkervoort (The Netherlands) has been named Vanguard University’s Lion of the Week after some extremely inspiring play recently on the tennis courts. The NAIA third-ranked Lions have won five matches straight, including a pair of 5-4 wins, and Donkervoort has been undefeated during that streak.

Dating back to Vanguard’s last loss, to NAIA second-ranked Fresno Pacific University, the Lions pulled out a 5-4 win over fourth-ranked Azusa Pacific University. Donkervoort, who also won in doubles play that day, earned a three-set victory at number three singles to break a 4-4 tie and hand the match victory to Vanguard, putting the Lions back into second place of the GSAC standings.

Vanguard easily defeated a couple of teams during the streak, but Donkervoort was instrumental again in VU’s 7-2 GSAC win over 10th-ranked Point Loma in their match down in San Diego. VU’s fifth consecutive win came yesterday when the Lions knocked off NCAA Division II University of Hawaii, Hilo at the Costa Mesa Tennis Center. Following an 8-5 combined effort win in doubles play, Donkervoort played in VU’s deciding match again. With the match tied 4-4 after another pair of Lions succeeded in come-backs to tie the score, Donkervoort was the last player on the court one more time, the fate of the team riding on her racket. Losing the second set for a 6-2, 4-6 tie, the competitive second-year Lion reached deep to charge back with a 6-2 win, pushing the 5-4 deciding score into Vanguard’s favor one more time.

Donkervoort is a first-time recipient of VU’s Lion of the Week award and hopes to help lead the Lions back to the NAIA National Tournament this spring. Vanguard is now 11-2 overall and 10-2 in GSAC.

Nog meer tennis...

By Beth Renkoski 04/01/06

Vanguard Paddles Pandas

Costa Mesa, Calif – April showers nor April fools day could put a damper on the Vanguard Lions today. Delaying today’s starting time from 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. because of overnight and morning rain did not slow the Lions either, as Vanguard warmed up what proved to be a breezy and sunny, but cool afternoon after the rain left the area. The NAIA third-ranked Lions got the job done again, earning their sixth shutout of the season with a 9-0 non-conference win over University of Alberta.

Selecting to play the singles matches first, the Lions took an early lead with dominating performances from Kristen Eichenmuller and Natalie Kelley, who were the first to defeat their Canadian counterparts. The pair lost only four games combined in their straight set victories at number six and five singles, respectively.

Olivia Amstad cleared her court next with a strong 6-1, 6-0 win at number four and Tiffany Teerawat duplicated that score with a two-set win at number three. Damia Donkervoort also defeated her Panda opponent with a powerful win (6-1, 6-1) in the number two match, and Hana Jurcovicova sealed the singles sweep when she eliminated Shaira Somani, 6-4, 6-2, at #1 singles.

The Lions put the finishing touch on the shutout with 8-3, 8-1, and 8-0 wins from top to bottom in the doubles matches. "We took care of business today," says VU Head Coach Mattias Johansson. "We’re glad we were able to get the match in, but now we are just looking forward to next week’s matches." Vanguard improves to 12-2 overall with the win and will return to conference action on Monday when the Lions host Hope International in a 2:00 p.m. matchup at the Costa Mesa Tennis Center.