Bethel Upsets No. 15 Indiana Wesleyan 4-3 in Mishawaka

MISHAWAKA, Ind. --- Under the hot sun of September, the Bethel Pilots (2-0) prepared for a big Crossroads League showdown with the NAIA 15th-ranked Indiana Wesleyan Wildcats (0-2) on Thursday with a 33-year drought hanging in the balance.

The Pilots won for the first time in program history to the Wildcats 4-3 and the last time that BU scored a point was in 2013 when the Pilots lost 7-2.

The doubles point was secured by Bethel from the performances of Szilvi Ferenczy and Kaavy Palani in one doubles 6-3 and Ariadni Kokoula and Farida El Sayed in two doubles 7-6 (5).

Two singles was a dog fight between IWU's France Antezana and Bethel's Kaavya Palani that went to the wire 7-6 (4) and 7-6 (2) for the Wildcat point but Ferenczy won the point in three singles against Indiana Wesleyan's Katie Parr 7-6 (3), 6-2.

The Pilots sealed points in five singles with Sandy Sharaf winning 6-2, 6-2, and four singles by Kenzy Abdelaal 6-2, 6-1.


"This was a total team effort and a huge step forward for our program. IWU has set the dominance bar for the last 33 years, and to come away with the win today is a huge confidence booster for our ladies.  Szilvi (Ferenczy) and Kaavya (Palani) played some of the best doubles I've seen in a long time, and the singles play of Szilvi, Kenzy (Abdelaal) and Sandy (Sharaf) were clutch performances," said head coach Jamal Henry.

FULL SET SCORES

Doubles:

1. Szilvi Ferenczy/Kaavya Palani (B) def. France Antezana/Sofia Munoz (IWU)      6-3

2. Ariadni Kokoula/Farida El Sayed (B) def. Lauren Dick/Maria Oliveira (IWU)       7-6 (5)

3. Katie Parr/Meribel Jarna (IWU) def. Kenzy Abdelaal/Sandy Sharaf (B)              6-4

Singles: 

1. Sofia Munoz (IWU) def. Ariadni Kokoula (B)     6-1, 6-1

2. France Antezana (IWU) def. Kaavya Palani (B)       7-6 (4), 7-6 (2)

3. Szilvi Ferenczy (B) def. Katie Parr (IWU)    7-6 (3), 6-2

4. Kenzy Abdelaal (B) def. Meribel Jarna (IWU)       6-2, 6-1

5. Sandy Sharaf (B) def. Maria Oliveira (IWU)  6-2, 6-2

6. Lauren Dick (IWU) def. Alexia Peña (B) 6-2, 3-6, 10-1

NEXT TIME OUT

The Pilots travel to Goshen, Ind. to take on the Goshen Maple Leafs on Saturday, Sept. 7 with a two-match win steak under their belt as they continue the Crossroads League season.

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