Foresters Shine in 5-2 Upset of No. 22 Bethel
SOUTH BEND, Ind. - The Huntington women's tennis team (10-10, 3-2) carried its momentum into Saturday morning, earning an impressive 5–2 victory over No. 22 Bethel University at South Bend Racquet Club. The win comes just two days after the Foresters secured a 4–2 decision over (RV) Grace, marking a strong weekend against top Crossroads League competition.
Facing the defending Crossroads League champions, Huntington delivered one of its most complete performances of the season, highlighted by a dominant showing in doubles play.
The Foresters claimed the doubles point by winning two of the three matches. Isabella Herrera and Yariange Bello set the tone with a decisive 6–1 victory at No. 1, while Coby Sander and Ashley Bucur followed with a 6–3 win at No. 2.
Bethel managed the lone doubles point at No. 3, but Huntington carried a 1–0 advantage into singles where they showcased depth and resilience across the lineup to secure the team win.
At the top spot, Herrera cruised to a commanding 6–1, 6–1 victory. Bello battled through a three-set match at No. 2, earning a 6–4, 1–6, 6–1 win to extend Huntington's lead. Addison Mast continued her strong play with a dominant 6–1, 6–0 victory at No. 3.
Bethel responded with a win at No. 4, but Huntington answered back as Tiziana Rizzato delivered a clutch performance at No. 5, grinding out a 4–6, 6–4, 11–9 tiebreak victory to clinch the match. The Pilots picked up their second point at No. 6 in another tightly contested three-set battle.
With the win, Huntington builds on its recent success and continues to gain momentum in Crossroads League play against one of the conference's top programs. HU returns to action on Tuesday on the road against (RV) Goshen, with the match set to begin at 4:00 p.m.
SINGLES RECAP
1. Isabella Herrera (HU) def. Olessya Krot (BU) 6-1, 6-1
2. Yariange Bello (HU) def. Paola Lameda (BU) 6-4, 1-6, 6-1
3. Addison Mast (HU) def. Daniela Pineros (BU) 6-1, 6-0
4. Sandy Sharaf (BU) def. Ashley Bucur (HU) 6-3, 6-4
5. Tiziana Rizzato (HU) def. Farida El Sayed (BU) 4-6, 6-4, 11-9
6. Paula Nadal (BU) def. Sofia Kurshinskaia (HU) 6-7, 6-4, 10-6
DOUBLES RECAP
1. Herrera/Bello (HU) def. Krot/Lameda (BU) 6-1
2. Sander/Bucur (HU) def. Pineros/El Sayed (BU) 6-3
3. Sharaf/Nadal (BU) def. Mast/Rizzato (HU) 7-5
The Huntington University Foresters compete in 18 intercollegiate sports for men and women. In the past decade, Huntington has produced 181 NAIA All-America honors and 631 All-America Scholar Athlete honors. Huntington University is a comprehensive Christian college of the liberal arts offering graduate and undergraduate programs in more than 70 academic concentrations. Huntington has a top quartile ranking in the 2026 U.S. News Best Regional Universities Midwest Rankings.