Coastal Athletic Association (CAA Sports)

CAA Tennis Weekly Honors - Feb. 12

2/12/2013 11:22:00 PM

RICHMOND, Va. (February 12, 2013) - The CAA has recognized five men's and women's tennis players for outstanding performances last week.

UNCW junior Rafael Aita (Lima, Peru) and the Seahawks' duo of Aita and sophomore Sam Williams (Surrey, England) earned CAA men's tennis honors for the week ending February 10. Receiving honors on the women's side were UNCW junior Angie Sekely (Mississauga, Canada) and the William & Mary tandem of juniors Maria Belaya (Melbourne, Fla.) and Jeltje Loomans (Houten, The Netherlands).

Aita was selected as the CAA men's tennis Player of the Week after starting the season with a 5-1 record at #1 singles for the 39^th-ranked Seahawks. His best victory was a 6-4, 6-3 triumph over 26^th-ranked Florent Diep of the University of Florida. Aita, who has won three consecutive matches, has vaulted to #17 in the latest ITA singles rankings after starting the spring season at #37.

Aita and Williams were honored as the CAA men's Doubles Team of the Week after posting a 5-0 record over the team's first six matches. The duo surrendered just 13 games in the five victories, which have come while playing one match at No. 1, three at No. 2 and one at No. 3. Aita and Williams are ranked #45 in the nation in doubles this week by the ITA.

Sekely was named the CAA women's tennis Player of the Week after going 2-0 at the #1 singles spot in a pair of conference matches last week. The junior defeated James Madison's Taylor Pinchoff, 6-2, 6-1, in the Seahawks' 4-3 victory over the Dukes and topped William & Mary's Belaya, 6-7, 6-4, 1-0 (10-8) in UNCW's 4-3 setback to the Tribe.

Belaya and Loomans were honored as the CAA women's Doubles Team of the Week after starting the spring season with a 6-1 mark in dual matches. The Tribe duo's most impressive victory was an 8-4 decision over 34^th-ranked Petra Niedermayerova and Karla Bonacic of Kansas State. They also topped UNCW's Sekely and Olga Blank, 8-2, in CAA play. Belaya and Loomans entered the spring season ranked #3 nationally after going 9-1 during the fall.