April 23, 2005

Recap

(10) UAB def. (6) Louisville, 4-1 - Consolation

(10) UAB 4, (6) LOUISVILLE 1
UAB defeated Louisville, 4-1, in the consolation round of the Conference USA Women's Tennis Championship Saturday morning at Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center. The Blazers will now face DePaul Sunday at 9 p.m. The Cardinals conclude their tournament run in a tie for seventh place with East Carolina. UAB took the doubles point as Annemieke Elsholz and Julia von Samson paired up to defeat Louisville's Suzanna Gracanin and Robyn White, 8-6, while the U of L defaulted at the three doubles line.

In singles action, UAB won at the No. 3, 5 and 6 spots. Elsholz dropped her first set at the No. 5 spot against Cardinal Gracanin, 2-6, but rallied back, 6-3, 6-3. UAB's Antonia Nugent defeated Tiffany Fox, 6-0, 6-0, before von Samson secured the win at No. 3, 6-2, 6-4 over Kelly Taylor.

Match #15 - Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center
(10) UAB 4, (6) Louisville 1
Singles
1. Leslie Stewart, LOU vs. Gulsah Esen, UAB, DNF (7-6, 5-6)
2. Ofra Friedman, UAB vs. Robyn White, LOU, DNF (7-6, 5-3)
3. Julia von Samson, UAB def. Kelly Taylor, LOU, 6-2, 6-4
4. Natalie Laszkowski, LOU def. Samrin Tanzeem, UAB, 6-1, 6-0
5. Annemieka Elsholz, UAB def. Suzanna Gracanin, LOU, 2-6, 6-3, 6-3
6. Antonia Nugent, UAB def. Tiffany Fox, LOU, 6-0, 6-0
Doubles
1. Gulsah Esen/Ornischa Maier-Knapp, UAB vs. Kelly Taylor/Natalie Laszkowski, LOU, DNF (6-6)
2. Annemieke Elshoz/Julia von Samson, UAB def. Suzanna Gracanin/Robyn White, LOU, 8-6
3. Samrin Tanzeem/Jana Wild, UAB (DF)

(5) DePaul def. (9) East Carolina, 4-1- Consolation

(5) DE PAUL 4, (9) EAST CAROLINA 1 The Blue Demons defeated East Carolina, 4-1, in the consolation round of the Conference USA Women's Tennis Championship Saturday morning at Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center. DePaul will now face tenth-seeded UAB Sunday at 9 p.m. The Pirates conclude their tournament run in a tie for seventh place with Louisville.

DePaul jumped out early capturing the doubles point as teams of Gergana Ganeva and Anja Mihaldinec defeated Mireia Gol and Luiza Borger, 8-6, and Petra Reuhosova and Bojana Murisic defeated the Pirate duo of Raluca Baicu and Alex Smith, 8-3. East Carolina won at the No. 1 spot as Kirstin Buchanan and Gillie Bailey defeated Beatrix Csordas and Marina Parashkevova, 8-6, despite falling 0-1 entering singles play.

DePaul took the top two singles wins as Gol beat Csordas, 6-2, 6-2 at No. 1 and Buchanan grabbed a 6-1, 6-1 win over Gergana Ganeva at No. 2. Despite Pirate's Baicu beating Brenda Leung, 6-1, 6-4, the Blue Demons advanced in the consolations with another win at the No. 6 spot. For that victory, DPU's Mihaldinec beat Hannah Priest, 6-2, 6-2.

Match #16 - Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center)
(5) DePaul 4, (9) East Carolina 1
Singles
1. Beatrix Csordas, DPU def. Mireia Gol, ECU, 6-2, 6-2
2. Marina Parashkevova, DPU def. Kirstin Buchanan, ECU, 6-1, 6-1
3. Petra Rehusova, ECU def. Gergana Ganeva, DPU, DNF (6-4, 2-6)
4. Raluca Baicu, ECU def. Brenda Leung, DPU, 6-1, 6-4
5. Luiza Borges, ECU vs. Bojana Murisic, DPU, DNF (6-3, 5-5)
6. Anja Mihaldinec, DPU def. Hannah Priest, ECU, 6-2, 6-2
Doubles
1. Kirstin Buchanan/Gillie Bailey, ECU def. Beatrix Csordas/Marina Parashkevova, DPU, 8-6
2. Gergana Ganeva/Petra Rehusova, DPU def. Mireia Gol/Luiza Borges, ECU, 8-6
3. Anja Mihaldiner/Bojana Murisic, DPU def. Raluca Baicu/Alex Smith, ECU, 8-3

(1) Tulane def. (3) USF, 4-1 - Semifinals

TULANE 4, USF 1
After finishing the regular season with a mark of 20-5, No. 16 Tulane advanced to the championship game of the 2005 Conference USA Women's Tennis Tournament, with wins over tenth-seeded UAB on Friday and No. 3-seed USF in today's semifinal matchup. The Green Wave compete in the title match riding a 14-match winning streak.

The Green Wave recorded the doubles point after the nation's No. 35 doubles team of Jenny Kuehn and Julie Smekodub defeated Courtney Vernon and Liz Cruz, 8-1. The Bulls defaulted at the No. 3 doubles line.

Despite Tulane's Maria Ivanov falling to USF's Neyssa Etienne, 6-4, 6-2, the Green Wave responded by capturing singles wins at the No. 2, 5 and 6 positions. Nancy Kockott beat Bull's Luisa Obando, 6-4, 6-3, while Jenny Kuehn pulled off a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Gabriela Duch to secure the championship berth.

As winners of three of the last four league titles, including the last two championships, the Green Wave will take the court at noon on Sunday against the winner of second-seeded TCU and fourth-seeded Houston. USF ends their run for the tournament title, although the squad will take on either TCU or Houston for the third place finish.

The 2005 C-USA Women's Tennis Championship match will take place at TCU's Bayard H. Freeman Tennis Center, Sunday at Noon (CST), immediately followed by the awards ceremony.

Match #17 - Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center
(1) Tulane 4, (3) USF 1
Singles 1. Neyssa Etienne, USF def. Maria Ivanov, TUL, 6-4, 6-2
2. Jenny Kuehn, TUL def. Courtney Vernon, USF, 6-4, 6-3
3. Gabriela Duch, USF vs. Julie Smekodub, TUL, DNF (7-5, 4-1)
4. Darya Ivanov, TUL vs. Liz Cruz, USF, DNF (7-6 (0), 2-5)
5. Nancy Kockott, TUL def. Luisa Obando, USF, 6-4, 6-3
6. Ana Saaibi, TUL (DF)
Doubles
1. Maria Ivanov/Darya Ivanov, TUL vs. Neyssa Etienne/Gabriela Duch, USF, DNF (7-3)
2. Jenny Kuehn/Julie Smekodub, TUL def. Courtney Vernon/Liz Cruz, USF, 8-1
3. Ana Saaibi/Nancy Kockott, TUL (DF)

(7) Charlotte def. (8) Southern Miss, 4-1 - Consolation

(7) CHARLOTTE 4, (8) SOUTHERN MISS 1
Seventh-seeded Charlotte defeated No. 8 seeded Southern Miss 4-1 Saturday in the ninth place consolation round of the 2005 Conference USA Women's Tennis Championship.

Charlotte won both the No. 1 and No. 2 doubles lines as teams Laura Swain and Ashleigh Murray defeated Sherry Price and Nikhila Narra, 8-4, and Kathy Robey and Ofra Friedman beat Nicola Slater and Grace Kammerer, 8-4.

In singles action, 49er senior Swain beat USM's Slater in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3 at the No. 1 spot. Charlotte picked up two additional wins at No. 3 and 4 as Robey beat Narra, 6-1, 6-0 and Murray beat Sibille, 6-0, 6-1.

Southern Miss' Ali Blackett recorded the Golden Eagle's lone point with a 6-0, 6-2 win over Jennifer Hatch at the No. 6.

The Golden Eagles conclude the 2005 C-USA Women's Tennis Tournament with a tenth place finish, while the 49ers earn ninth.

Match #18 - Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center
(7) Charlotte 4, (8) Southern Miss 1
Singles
1. Laura Swain, CHA def. Nicola Slater, USM, 6-4, 6-3
2. Sherry Price, USM vs. Ofra Friedman, DNF (6-4, 4-1)
3. Kathy Robey, CHA def. Nikhila Narra, USM, 6-1, 6-0
4. Ashleigh Murray, CHA def. Jennifer Sibille, USM, 6-0, 6-1
5. Ali Piacente, CHA vs. Grace Kammerer, USM, DNF (6-2, 2-3)
6. Ali Blackett, USM def. Jennifer Hatch, CHA, 6-0, 6-2
Doubles
1. Laura Swain/Ashleigh Murray, CHA def. Sherry Price/Nikhila Narra, 8-4
2. Kathy Robey/Ofra Friedman, CHA def. Nicola Slater/Grace Kammerer, USM, 8-4
3. Ali Blackett/Jennifer Sibille, USM vs. Ali Piacenta/Jennifer Hatch, DNF (7-4)

(2) TCU def. (4) Houston, 4-0 - Semifinals

TCU 4, HOUSTON 0
No. 17 TCU cruised to a 4-0 victory over fourth-seeded Houston on Saturday afternoon in the semifinals of the 2005 C-USA Women's Tennis Championship. The Horned Frogs, who are now 20-3 this season, will face top-seeded Tulane on Sunday at noon at the Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center in their fourth consecutive title showing.

The Frogs opened the match by collecting the doubles point with wins at the No. 2 and 3 spot. TCU's Kewa Nichols and Helena Besovic started things off by crushing Yolandi Terblanche and Tiffany McLoughlin, 8-3. The victory was the second for the duo this spring in five matches. Seniors Paige Brown and Karla Mancinas defeated Diana Martin and Kami Miller, 8-3 to jump to an early 1-0 lead.

In singles, No. 55-ranked Helena Besovic cruised to her 32nd win as she topped Houston's Diana Martin at No. 2. For the final wins, Gloriann Lopez clinched a 6-2, 6-0 victory over Cougar's McLoughlin at the sixth position, while teammate Kewa Nichols defeated Brianna Bateup, 6-1, 6-3.

The Frogs face the Green Wave for the third consecutive year in the title match as Tulane has won both previous matchups. Defending champion Tulane beat TCU last year, 4-1, while the Wave cruised to a 4-0 win in 2003.

Houston ends their run for the tournament title, although the squad will take on USF for the third place tourney finish.

The 2005 C-USA Women's Tennis Championship match will take place at TCU's Bayard H. Freeman Tennis Center, Sunday at Noon (CST), immediately followed by the awards ceremony.

All main draw matches will take place at the Bayard H. Freeman Tennis Center. All times are Central.

For a complete bracket, match recaps and individual results from all rounds of the 2005 Conference USA Women's Tennis Championship, please visit www.conferenceusa.com.

Match #19 - Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center
(2) TCU 4, (4) Houston 0
Singles
1. Story Tweedie-Yates, TCU vs. Biljana Dimovska, HOU, DNF (6-1, 3-2)
2. Helena Besovic, TCU def. Diana Martin, HOU, 6-3, 6-0
3. Kewa Nichols, TCU def. Brianna Bateup, HOU, 6-1, 6-3
4. Ana Cetnik, TCU vs. Yolandi Terblanche, HOU, DNF (6-4, 3-2)
5. Andrea Morgado, TCU def. Kami Miller, HOU, DNF (6-4, 2-1)
6. Gloriann Lopez, TCU def. Tiffany McLoughlin, HOU, 6-2, 6-0
Doubles
1. Story Tweedie-Yates/Ana Cetnik, TCU vs. Biljana Dimovska/Brianna Bateup, HOU, DNF (5-3)
2. Helena Besovic/Kewa Nichols, TCU def. Tiffany McLoughlin/Yolandi Terblanche, HOU, 8-3
3. Karla Mancinas/Paige Brown, TCU def. Kami Miller/Diana Martin, HOU, 8-3