Feb. 27, 2007
SAN DIEGO - The San Diego State women's tennis team received a pair of inspired victories in singles play, but it wasn't enough as the 54th-ranked Aztecs dropped a 5-2 decision to No. 18 Pepperdine on Tuesday at a cold and wind-swept Aztec Tennis Center. Junior Eliska Krausova and sophomore Milana Yusupov were both able to overcome a one-set deficit in their respective matches for SDSU (4-7), but by then the Waves had already sealed the win to raise their record to 6-4 on the year.
The Aztecs were unable to gain a foothold in doubles competition, falling behind 1-0 after losing all three matches. The duo of Krausova and senior Alesya Vidov was a dealt an 8-2 defeat at the hands of Pepperdine's Sylvia Kosakowski and Eva Dickes on the No. 1 court, while the tandem of Yusupov and freshman Kathryn Kitts suffered an 8-3 setback against Jill Braverman and Tania Rice in the No. 3 spot. Despite a valiant effort in the No. 2 position by the pairing of sophomore Holly Bagshaw and junior Sisse Nielsen, SDSU could not avoid the sweep as Bianca Dulgheru and Katia Sabate eked out an 8-7 triumph for the visitors.
The Scarlet and Black could not calm the Waves in singles play either as Pepperdine claimed the first three matches to secure the necessary points for the victory. First off the court was sophomore Esther Cadua, who found herself at the wrong end of a 6-1, 6-0, score against Caroline Raba in the No. 4 slot. Vidov and Bagshaw soon followed at Nos. 3 and 1, respectively, after both players experienced identical 6-3, 6-0 defeats. Meanwhile, Nielsen turned in a solid effort against Dickes in the fifth spot, but ultimately succumbed in a super-tiebreaker, 6-2, 6-7(4), 10-4.
Trailing 5-0, the Aztecs tacked on two points to provide the final outcome. Krausova dropped the first set in her encounter with 94th-ranked Kosakowski on the No. 2 court, but stormed backed to pull off the upset in three sets, 2-6, 6-3, 6-3. Yusupov also displayed a measure of resiliency against Rice at No. 6, rallying for a 4-6, 6-4, 10-6 victory in a gritty super-tiebreaker.
SDSU will have two weeks off before returning to the courts on Tuesday, March 13, when it welcomes No. 59 Iowa to Montezuma Mesa. Match time is set for 2 p.m. at Aztec Tennis Center.
No. 18 PEPPERDINE 5, No. 54 SAN DIEGO STATE 2
Feb. 27, 2007
Aztec Tennis Center--San Diego, Calif.
Doubles:
1. Sylvia Kosakowski/Eva Dickes (PEPP) def. Alesya Vidov/Eliska Krausova (SDSU), 8-2.
2. Bianca Dulgheru/Katia Sabate (PEPP) def. Holly Bagshaw/Sisse Nielsen (SDSU), 8-7.
3. Jill Braverman/Tania Rice (PEPP) Kathryn Kitts/Milana Yusupov (SDSU), 8-3.
Pepperdine wins doubles point
Singles:
1. #59 Bianca Dulgheru (PEPP) def. Holly Bagshaw (SDSU), 6-3, 6-0.
2. Eliska Krausova (SDSU) def. #94 Sylvia Kosakowski (PEPP), 2-6, 6-3, 6-3.
3. Katia Sabate (PEPP) def. Alesya Vidov (SDSU), 6-3, 6-0.
4. Caroline Raba (PEPP) def. Esther Cadua (SDSU), 6-1, 6-0.
5. Eva Dickes (PEPP) def. Sisse Nielsen (SDSU), 6-2, 6-7(4), 10-4^.
6. Milana Yusupov (SDSU) def. Tania Rice (PEPP), 4-6, 6-4, 10-6^.
Order of finish
Doubles: 1, 3, 2
Singles: 4, 3, 1*, 5, 2, 6
*match-clinching victory
^super tie-breaker