Dayton Duo, VCU's Diaz-Delgado, 'Cats' Perez Gongora Secure Weekly Tennis Laurels

3/9/2022 8:25:13 AM

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – The Atlantic 10 Conference recognized Dayton junior Connor Bruce and VCU graduate student Paola Exposito Diaz-Delgado as the league's Men’s and Women's Tennis Performers of the Week, respectively. Additionally, Davidson freshman Juan Camilo Perez Gongora and Dayton freshman Laura Greb earned Rookie of the Week honors. The awards, announced Tuesday, are for matches played Feb. 28 – March 6.

Bruce closed out his week boasting a solid 5-1 record between doubles and singles matches. The Pittsburgh, Pa., native won all three singles matches in the top flights against Eastern Illinois, Saint Francis and Findlay, two of which came in straight sets. He also paired with Will Harper to capture two of three doubles matches with the final win against Findlay coming in the No. 1 doubles slot.

Delgado, a product of Almeria, Spain, led the way for the Rams as she secured her 11th straight win by taking down two ranked opponents. Diaz-Delgado defeated Iowa State's no. 51 ranked Thasaporn Naklo in a convincing 7-5, 3-6, 6-1 three-set match. The doubles pairing of Diaz-Delgado and freshman Laura Astudillo also took a commanding 6-2 win over Iowa State's no. 37 ranked pairing of Miska Kadleckova and Sofia Cabezas.

Perez Gongora, a freshman out of Puerto de la Cruz, Spain, scored a victory in just the second singles match of his young career on Friday night, defeating DePaul's Wassenaar on court four 6-4, 7-6 (5-0) to clinch a 4-3 victory for Davidson over the Blue Demons.

Hailing from Butler, Pa., Greb powered her way to a perfect 4-0 mark this weekend between doubles and singles in matches against Murray State and Saint Francis. The freshman defeated Natalie Slezakova in three sets on Saturday in No. 4 singles and returned for a straight sets win over Bente Vandeputte of Saint Francis at No. 3 singles 6-3, 6-2. She paired with Erica Wojcikiewicz to win both doubles matches on the top flight, ousting Murray State 6-3 and Saint Francis 6-2.