Feb. 24, 2007
SAN DIEGO - Buoyed by four victories in singles play, the 52nd-ranked San Diego State women's tennis team defeated No. 71 Rice, 5-2, in a hard-fought dual match on Saturday at Aztec Tennis Center. The Aztecs (4-6) also added a pair of wins in doubles competition to help snap a five-match losing streak, while the Owls (3-8) lost for the seventh time in their last eight decisions.
The doubles team of Eliska Krausova and Alesya Vidov got things rolling for SDSU with an 8-2 triumph over Tiffany Lee and Julie Chao at the No. 1 position. The Aztecs then secured the point over on the No. 3 court when the brand-new pairing of Kathryn Kitts and Milana Yusupov upended Christine Dao and Jennifer Pan, 8-3. San Diego State was thwarted in its bid for the sweep, however, as the duo of Holly Bagshaw and Sisse Nielsen lost a tough battle to Dominique Karas and Rebecca Lin, 8-6, in the No. 2 spot.
Unfazed, the Scarlet and Black went back to work in singles action, taking four of six matches. First off the court was Yusupov, who notched her second victory of the 2007 campaign with a 6-3, 6-1 pasting of Emily Braid at the sixth position. SDSU's 2-0 advantage was soon cut in half after Cadua fell to Karas, 7-5, 6-4, over on the fourth court. However, Nielsen restored the Aztecs' two-point cushion shortly thereafter when she pinned a 6-2, 6-4 defeat on Lin at the No. 5 spot, ending the Denmark native's personal six-match losing skid.
Leading 3-1, San Diego State received a come-from-behind victory from Vidov at the No. 3 position to clinch the match. Trailing after one set in her encounter with Lee, the Moscow, Russia, product turned on the afterburners to win going away, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1. The Aztecs and Owls then split the remaining two contests to provide the final outcome. Krausova was also extended to three sets in her clash with Dao before prevailing, 6-4, 5-7, 6-3, on the No. 2 court. Meanwhile, Bagshaw was not as fortunate in her showdown with Chao at the top spot, losing a heartbreaker, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(4), to close out the day.
SDSU will be back in action on Tuesday, Feb. 27, when it plays host to No. 19 Pepperdine at Aztec Tennis Center. Match time is set for 2 p.m.
No. 52 SAN DIEGO STATE 5, No. 71 RICE 2
Feb. 24, 2007
Aztec Tennis Center--San Diego, Calif.
Doubles:
1. Alesya Vidov/Eliska Krausova (SDSU) def. Julie Chao/Tiffany Lee (Rice), 8-2.
2. Dominique Karas/Rebecca Lin (Rice) def. Holly Bagshaw/Sisse Nielsen (SDSU), 8-6.
3. Kathryn Kitts/Milana Yusupov (SDSU) def. Jennifer Pan/Christine Dao (Rice), 8-3.
SDSU wins doubles point
Singles:
1. Julie Chao (Rice) def. Holly Bagshaw (SDSU), 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(4).
2. Eliska Krausova (SDSU) def. Christine Dao (Rice), 6-4, 5-7, 6-3.
3. Alesya Vidov (SDSU) def. Tiffany Lee (Rice), 4-6, 6-3, 6-1.
4. Dominique Karas (Rice) def. Esther Cadua (SDSU), 7-5, 6-4.
5. Sisse Nielsen (SDSU) def. Rebecca Lin (Rice), 6-2, 6-4.
6. Milana Yusupov (SDSU) def. Emily Braid (Rice), 6-3, 6-1.
Order of finish
Doubles: 1, 3, 2
Singles: 6, 4, 5, 3*, 2, 1
*match-clinching victory