Lovato Receives Second Career ASUN Player of the Week Award

ASUN Release

Junior Esther Lovato of the Liberty women’s tennis team received the ASUN Women’s Tennis Player of the Week award, announced by the league office on Wednesday afternoon.

Lovato’s honor gives Liberty its second ASUN Player of the Week of the season following sophomore Maria Juliana Parra Romero winning the award on Jan 18 after the first week of the season.

Lovato receives her second player of the week award and 10th all-time for the program. The junior also received the award as a freshman on Feb. 26, 2020.

The junior won both of her matches as the No. 3 singles player over the weekend, playing a vital role in topping Michigan State and Miami (Ohio), both by 4-2 scores. In Friday’s match at Michigan State, Lovato earned the clinching match for the Lady Flames, taking down the Spartans’ Juliette Nask 7-5, 2-6, 6-1 to earn the Lady Flames their first-ever win over a Big Ten team.

In Saturday’s match against the Miami (Ohio) RedHawks, Lovato earned Liberty its second point of the day, besting the RedHawks’ Nishitha Saravanan 6-2, 6-3. Lovato’s matches proved pivotal in both contests, as Liberty was playing from behind in both matches after dropping the first two points of each match.

Lovato owns a 5-0 in spring singles matches (2-0 as No. 3, 3-0 as No. 4) and is 15-1 overall including the fall season. The junior is also sporting an eight-match winning streak going back to the fall season.

Lovato, Parra Romero, Tiffany Nguyen and Micaela Ode Mitre are all active Liberty women’s tennis players who have received at least one ASUN Player of the Week honor.

Lovato and the Lady Flames (5-1) are back in action for three matches over the weekend. Liberty faces an upcoming home doubleheader on Friday, going up against Norfolk State (0-1) at 9 a.m. and Maryland (4-1) at 1 p.m. Liberty comes back Sunday morning to host North Texas (7-1) at 9 a.m. All the matches will be played at the Liberty Indoor Tennis center.