Alabama Women's Tennis Falls to No. 18 South Alabama
2/9/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
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The 33rd ranked University of Alabama women's tennis team lost 6-1 to the 18th ranked University of South Alabama Jaguars Sunday in Mobile, Ala. The Crimson Tide dropped to 5-1 while the Jaguars improved to 5-1 on the season.
"South Alabama was tough," UA head coach Jenny Mainz said. "They were deep and stepped up in the pressure situations."
South Alabama went up 1-0 after winning two of the three doubles matches. At number one doubles, USA's Viktoria Stoklasova and Katarina Palenikova defeated UA's Millie Begovic and Ashley Bentley 8-0. Bama's Sophie Cremers and Nathalie Koppelle won 8-6 at number two doubles over South Alabama's Andrea Kurekova and Dominika Nemcovicova. The Jaguars' Marlieke Jager and Klara Jarova defeated the Tide's Natalie McElveen and Melissa Minor 8-5 at number three doubles.
Alabama was able to send four matches into the third set in singles, but was only able to get a victory at the number two singles position.
Cremers gave the Crimson Tide a point with her 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 win over South Alabama's Kurekova. At number one singles, UA's 71st ranked Begovic lost 6-0, 6-1 to USA's 47th ranked Stoklasova.
Alabama's Marie-France Lord-Andrade lost in the third set to South Alabama's Jager at number three singles. Bama's Bentley and Koppelle both lost third set (10 point) tie-breakers at number four and five singles respectively. South Alabama's Jarova won 6-2, 6-2 over Alabama's McElveen at number six singles.
"I think we proved we can play with a top-18 team," Mainz said. "We have got to be able to step up in pressure situations when it really counts."
Alabama was forced to play without freshman Robin Stephenson (back injury) for the second straight match. Stephenson normally plays number one doubles with Begovic and the number two singles position.
The Crimson Tide returns home to face Houston on Saturday at noon. The match will be played at the UA Varsity Outdoor Courts. In the case of inclement weather, the match will be played in the Hank Crisp Indoor Tennis Facility.
Results
No. 18 South Alabama- 6 No. 33 Alabama- 1
DOUBLES
1. Stoklasova/Palenikova (USA) def. Begovic/Bentley (UA) 8-0
2. Cremers/Koppelle (UA) def. Kurekova/Nemcovicova (USA) 8-6
3. Jager/Jarova (USA) def. McElveen/Minor (UA) 8-5
SINGLES
1. No. 47 Viktoria Stoklasova (USA) def. No. 71 Millie Begovic (UA) 6-0, 6-1
2. Sophie Cremers (UA) def. Andrea Kurekova (USA) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
3. Marlieke Jager (USA) def. Marie-France Lord-Andrade (UA) 2-6, 6-4, 6-3
4. Katarina Palenikova (USA) def. Ashley Bentley (UA) 5-7, 7-5, (10-6)#
5. Dominika Nemcovicova (USA) def. Nathalie Koppelle (UA) 5-7, 7-6, (10-7)#
6. Klara Jarova (USA) def. Natalie McElveen (UA) 6-2, 6-2
# ten point tie-breaker played in place of third set
