SMU Women’s Tennis Grounds Owls on Senior Day

[PonyPride]

From SMUMustangs.com:

SMU Women’s Tennis Grounds Owls on Senior Day
No. 29 Women's Tennis Scores 6-1 Win Over No. 42 Rice

April 10, 2010

DALLAS (SMU) - The No. 29 SMU Women's Tennis team (22-3) downed No. 42 Rice on Saturday, 6-1, for its fifth-straight win. The Mustangs won a hotly contested doubles point, picking up wins at Nos. 1 and 3, and then cruised to the victory in singles play. The team honored seniors Pavi Francis, Casey Kennedy, Nicole Briceno and Sophie Quist before the match at Turpin Tennis Center as the contest marked the final home match of the season.

"I was very happy that we came out focused," said head coach Lauren Longbotham Meisner. "Rice has beaten some really talented teams this season and I knew that they would bring all that they had today. I told the girls to be ready for a fight and they came out with really good energy and I am very pleased with how the day went."

The Owls seemed to take the early advantage when their No. 2 doubles tandem of Jessica Jackson and Daniella Trigo claimed an 8-4 win over Francis and Shahzoda Hatamova. The momentum didn't last long however, as SMU's Casey Kennedy and Edyta Cieplucha won at No. 3 doubles, 8-6, and moments later the Mustangs' Marta Lesniak and Aleksandra Malyarchikova picked up the clinching 8-5 win at No. 1.

In singles, Cieplucha wasted no time in extending the SMU lead as she dispatched of Ana Guzman, 6-2, 6-1 at the No. 4 spot in just over 30 minutes. Malyarchikova then made the lead 3-0 in favor of SMU after she picked up a 6-4, 6-2 win over Julie Chao at No. 2.

Cieplucha ends the regular season with a 16-1 record in singles, including a 9-1 mark at No. 4. Malyarchikova remains undefeated at the No. 2 line as she improved to 15-0, while running her spring singles record to 19-2.

Hatamova clinched the match for the Mustangs with her easy 6-1, 6-2 win over Jackson at No. 3. The freshman is now 5-2 at the No. 3 spot and 18-3 overall this spring.

Two of SMU's senior day honorees were next to finish as Francis downed Rebecca Lin at No. 5 1-6, 6-2 (11-9), while Quist was less fortunate and fell in her tie-breaker with Trigo, 2-6, 7-5, (10-4). Francis improved to 15-4 this spring, 5-2 at No. 5.

Lesniak, ranked No. 34 in the latest ITA singles rankings, claimed SMU's final point with her 6-3, 3-6, (11-9) win over Hanle at No. 1. The sophomore from Poland is now 21-2 on the spring season with all of her wins coming at the top singles line.

"Today was just a total team effort and I am really happy for my seniors who were able to play today. I thought everyone played extraordinary and we will now get focused on heading to Tulsa to defend our C-USA championship."

Next up for the Mustangs is the Conference USA Championship. The championship takes place April 22-25 in Tulsa. The NCAA Championship selections will be announced on April 27; the tournament begins on May 1.

No. 29 SMU 6, No. 42 Rice 1


 DOUBLES

 1. Lesniak/Malyarchikova def. Julie Chao/Ana Guzman, 8-5
2. Jessica Jackson/Daniella Trigo def. Francis/Hatamova, 8-4
3. Kennedy/Cieplucha def. Rebecca Lin/Rebekka Hanle, 8-6
Order of Finish: 2, 3, 1


SINGLES
1. No. 34 Marta Lesniak (SMU) def. No. 104 Rebekka Hanle (Rice), 6-3, 3-6 (11-9)

2. No. 117 Aleksandra Malyarchikova (SMU) def. Julie Chao (Rice), 6-4, 6-2

3. Shahzoda Hatamova (SMU) def. Jessica Jackson (Rice), 6-1, 6-2
4. No. 123 Edyta Cieplucha (SMU) def. Ana Guzman (Rice), 6-2, 6-1
5. Pavi Francis (SMU) def. Rebecca Lin (Rice), 1-6, 6-2 (11-9)

6. Daniella Trigo (Rice) def. Sophie Quist (SMU), 2-6, 7-5 (10-4)
Order of Finish: 4, 2, 3*, 5, 6, 1

[mathman]

Great job ladies. You make us proud.