Goldey-Beacom Ends Spring With Regionally Ranked Student-Athletes and Teams

Women's Tennis | 3/18/2020 12:00:00 AM

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The abrupt end to Goldey-Beacom's spring campaign should not mean the cancelation of any fanfare with three of the season's student-athletes regionally ranked in the top 15 and two of its squads also regionally ranked.

Sophomore Imane Van Veen (Paris, France) was ranked 11th in the East Region, according to the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA), and freshman Sara Edebo (Gothenburg, Sweden) was ranked 13th. Freshman Gonzalo Moreno (Seville, Spain) also had a solid academic year in being ranked second in the East Region, according to Golfstat.

Van Veen exploded in her debut campaign with a 12-2 singles record, including an 11-match winning streak she carries into next season. Displaying the poise of a seasoned veteran and playing either first or second singles all year, she also recorded an 8-4 doubles record with all of her dual matches coming at No. 1 doubles.

All of her singles victories came in straight sets and both her losses were in a match tiebreak.

Van Veen impressed many in being tabbed first team All-Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference and to the league's all-tournament team.

Edebo also impressed with an 11-2 singles record that included a 9-1 mark in dual matches and a five-match winning streak during the fall. She also went 12-2 in doubles, including a 10-1 mark over her final 11 completed matches and an 8-0 record during league matches.

If no one knew who Edebo was at the start of the season, they certainly found out during the ITA East Regional in mid-September. Playing against two-time CACC Player of the Year Karla Miletic from University of the Sciences, Edebo played with the same confidence she displayed the entire campaign in notching a 7-6, 6-4 first-round triumph.

This played a huge part in Edebo also being tabbed first team all-league and to the all-tournament team.

It was just the latest chapter of success for the Lightning (11-2, 8-1 CACC), who last fall played in the CACC final for the seventh time in program history and third in the last four years. First-year coach Kristin Lake also helped Goldey-Beacom get to the CACC Tournament a 12th straight season with all resulting in at least a berth in the semifinals.

All of this had Goldey-Beacom ranked fifth in the East Region with a shot at getting back to the NCAA Tournament. The Lightning have appeared in the NCAA Tournament eight times, with last year's squad going to the "Sweet 16" and ending the year ranked 44th in the country.

Moreno could not have had more of an impact for the Lightning, finishing in the top six in all seven tournaments he played. This included winning the Jefferson Invitational with a season-best 68, accomplished in a fall season which he closed in the top three during five of his six tournaments.

Another example of his solid play came in the CACC Championship, in which he carded 150 over two days and had Goldey-Beacom in first place after day one. The Lightning ended the championship in second place for their best finish since closing tied for second in 2008-09.

Goldey-Beacom as a group has excelled with a No. 6 ranking in the East Region, led by Tommy Ellison in his first full season as head coach. The squad was buoyed by victories at the Jefferson Invitational and the Griffin Invitational, broke 300 an alarming five times, recorded six of the top 10 team rounds in program history and closed in the top five in six of its seven tournaments.

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Players Mentioned

Sara Edebo: 5' 8"; Freshman

Imane Van Veen: 5' 7"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Sara Edebo
: 5' 8"; Freshman

Imane Van Veen
: 5' 7"; Sophomore