Almiron named BSC Freshman of the Week
Published 8:51 am Thursday, February 1, 2018
Recent addition to the Longwood University women’s tennis team and first-match ace Yulia Almiron was named the Big South Conference (BSC) Freshman of the Week on Wednesday after her three-set takedown and first collegiate victory.
Yulia Almiron
A Spanish junior player before her arrival on campus, Almiron stepped in at court No. 1 in Saturday’s dominant 6-0 drubbing of Bluefield State College capturing a 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 win over the Big Blue’s Milica Knezevic.
“She deserves this, and hopefully it’s good motivation for herself and the team to trust the process,” said second-year Lancers Head Coach Maria Lopez. “Her game is adjusting well to college tennis. It’s always exciting to work with athletes who enjoy pushing themselves every day and competing.”
Almiron, the first Lancer to earn a Player of the Week honor under the tutelage of Lopez, also becomes just the third women’s tennis freshman to earn the accolade after Tess Willis and Isis Gill-Reid took home the honors during the 2015-16 season.
Conveying her reaction to receiving the Freshman of the Week accolade, Almiron said, “I feel really good, and I’m working so hard with my team …”
She confirmed feeling comfortable and confident in her ability as a singles player, but her confidence in doubles play was not quite at the same level.
“I’m getting better with the doubles,” she said. “My team is helping me to get comfort on the doubles.”
Almiron played on Longwood’s No. 2 doubles team against Bluefield State. Her teammate was fellow freshman Kaori Terunuma, and they combined to defeat the Big Blues 8-0.
As for her on-court goals moving forward, Almiron said she aims to be more aggressive.
After their dispatching of Bluefield State, the Lancers have three weeks before their home opener versus Mary Washington University on Saturday, Feb. 24, at 1 p.m.
After a home date with the Eagles, the Lancers face a tough spring stretch. It will include stops at Big South foes Charleston Southern University and Campbell University before a trip to Georgia, where they will face Savannah State University, and Florida, where they will face Bethune-Cookman University and No. 19 University of Miami. Following this, they will travel to face the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
