CHARLOTTE, NC – Winthrop won three of the four Big South weekly tennis awards this week, the conference announced today. Yasmine Alkema has been named the Big South Choice Hotels Women's Player of the Week. Liran Levy and Giovanna Portiolli have been named The Crons Brand Freshmen of the Week.
Alkema is on a four-match winning streak. In her last four singles matches, three of which were played this past week, Alkema did not lose a single set. She is also on a six-match winning streak in doubles and unbeaten in conference play. Playing at No. 1, Alkema partnered with Elizaveta Zaytseva throughout this season. However, in the last two matches, Alkema played with Lisa Wilkinson because Zaytseva is hurt. Alkema and Wilkinson won the two matches they played together.
Levy is 4-1 in singles in conference play. Even though he usually plays No. 4 for Winthrop, he played No. 2 against Coastal Carolina for the first time in his college career. Levy came back from one set down to beat Dmitry Vlaskin 4-6, 6-2, 10-5.
Portiolli is on a five-match winning streak. She helped the Eagles beat No. 61 ranked East Tennessee State as she won her singles match 7-5, 6-4. For the first time in her college career, Portiolli played two singles matches in the No. 3 spot and won both matches. In her No. 3 match against Radford, Portiolli was one set down but came back to win her match 1-6, 7-6(2), 11-9. Against Coastal Carolina, Portiolli beat Kim Webb in straight sets 6-2, 6-2. In doubles play, Portiolli and her partner Sandra Herrera are on a 12-match winning streak and unbeaten in conference play. They have lost only four doubles matches this season.