EUGENE, Ore. – Leading Oregon to a 2-0 weekend while going unbeaten across four combined singles and doubles matches, junior Sophie Luescher was named Pac-12 Player of the Week, the conference office announced Tuesday.
Playing at the top singles positions in UO’s lineup, Luescher won handily in straight sets in the Ducks’ victories over Eastern Washington and Saint Mary’s. On the doubles side, she and partner Nina Geissler won twice at No. 1, including a come-from-behind victory to clinch the doubles point against the Gaels on Sunday.
A native of Seengen, Switzerland, Luescher ousted EWU’s Jennifer Kida 6-3, 6-3 on Friday before a 6-1, 6-2 victory over SMC’s top player Iman Khan on Sunday.
Against Saint Mary’s, Oregon’s second and third doubles tandems split, leaving the doubles point to be decided on court one. Luescher and Geissler fell behind the Gaels’ Juliette Daries and Tian Yu Dong 4-2, and battled back to send the set into a tiebreak, where the Duck duo scored the final four points to earn a 7-6 (4) victory.
The Ducks swept the Eagles 7-0 on Friday before earning a 5-2 win over Saint Mary’s on Sunday.
Luescher, who has played every match this season at No. 1 doubles and singles, collects the first Pac-12 Player of the Week honor of her career. Luescher is off to a 3-1 start to the spring season in singles and is 11-3 overall, including the fall.
Oregon finishes a four-match homestand this weekend, taking on UC Santa Barbara on Saturday (12 p.m.) and Denver on Sunday (11 a.m.) at the Student Tennis Center.
