SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Furman’s Alex Moreno-Kaste has been named the Southern Conference Women’s Tennis Player of the Week for all matches played April 8-14.  Moreno-Kaste was 5-0 last week in singles and doubles play as the Paladins went 3-0.  Furman began the week with a 7-0 victory over Western Carolina before claiming a 5-2 decision at Charlotte.  The Paladins closed the week with 7-0 sweep at Davidson.

Moreno-Kaste was a perfect 3-0 in singles play, competing at the No. 2 position for Furman.  All three of her victories came in straight sets.  Moreno-Kaste topped Western Carolina’s Sara Ruiz Pajares, 6-1, 6-2 before knocking off Charlotte’s Natsuko Takayanagi by a similar score.  Moreno-Kaste then finished the regular season with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Davidson’s Elaina Cummer.

The Wesley Chapel, Fla., native was paired with Lauren Kline at No. 1 doubles and Furman’s top pair went 2-0 last week.  Moreno-Kaste and Kline held off Charlotte’s Anna Ekelund and Lisa Grosselius, 9-7, and then topped Davidson’s Cummer and Brites Moniz-Soares, 8-4.

Furman (13-8, 8-2 SoCon) earned the third seed in this week’s Southern Conference Championship. The Paladins will face either Chattanooga (17-4, 6-4 SoCon) or Western Carolina (1-15, 0-10 SoCon) in Friday’s quarterfinal round.

Other top performers in the Southern Conference included Appalachian State’s Ellie Linsell, College of Charleston’s Brooke McAmis, Elon’s Frida Jansaker, Georgia Southern’s Paola Garrido, UNCG’s Soumeya Anane, Samford’s Carita Moolman and Chattanooga’s Jenna Nurik. 

SoCon Women’s Tennis Player of the Week
Feb. 12 – Jenna Nurik, UTC
Feb. 19 – Kristin Lewis, SAM
Feb. 26 – Niltooli Wilkins, UNCG
March 5 – Jordan Johnston, Elon
March 13 – Julia Paulson, Wofford
March 19 – Alex Whitehead, UNCG
March 26 – Christin Newman, CofC
April 2 – Frida Jansaker, Elon
April 9 – Annette Rios, UNCG
April 15 – Alex Moreno-Kaste, Furman