Alabama Women's Streak Ends Against Florida State
2/12/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
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For the first time in five meetings, the University of Alabama women’s tennis team dropped a decision to No. 42 Florida State (2-2), 5-2.
The Seminoles used surprising wins at the No. 1 position in both doubles and singles to defeat Alabama (2-2) for the first time since 1991. After Melissa Minor and Natalie McElveen won at the No. 3 doubles position, the Tide’s top doubles team of Ashley Bentley and Robin Stephenson, ranked No. 12 by the ITA, had a chance to win the doubles point for Alabama. However, the duo came up just short to FSU’s Mihaela Moldovan and Lindsay Deason in a tiebreaker 9-8(7-3).
From there, Alabama needed to win four of the six singles matches to take the match. The Tide fought hard splitting the first two singles matches as Mari Muller started things off with a 6-3, 6-2 victory. Bentley then followed suit to even the singles score and put Alabama in position to win the match. However Stephenson then fell in straight sets to Moldovan to clinch the match for FSU.
“The doubles point is very pivotal for us,” head coach Jenny Mainz said. “We have to find a way to put ourselves in position to win the doubles point because it is extremely tough to sweep four singles matches. Florida State played well and with a lot of energy. I give them credit.”
Alabama will finish up its four-match road swing this Wednesday in Atlanta, Ga. when it travels to play No. 31 Georgia Tech.
#42 Florida State 5, No. 33 Alabama 2
Doubles
No. 1 Moldovan/Deason (FSU) d. Stephenson/Bentley (ALA), 9-8 (7-3)
No. 2 Clarke/Foley (FSU) d. Muller/Brenes (ALA), 8-4
No. 3 Minor/McElveen (ALA) d. Marobela/Tantee, 8-6
Singles
No. 1 Mihaela Moldovan (FSU) d. Robin Stephenson (ALA), 6-4, 6-4*
No. 2 Ashley Bentley (ALA) d. Lindsay Deason (FSU) 6-3, 6-3
No. 3 Roxanne Clarke (FSU) d. Melissa Minor (ALA), 6-3, 6-3
No. 4 Miranda Foley (FSU) d. Andrea Brenes (ALA), 6-2, 6-2
No. 5 Mari Muller (ALA) d. Tapiwa Marobela (FSU), 6-3, 6-2
No. 6 Amberly Tantee (FSU) d. Natalie McElveen (ALA), 6-4, 3-6 (10-4)
Order of finish: Doubles - 2, 3, 1 Singles - 5, 4, 3, 2, 1*, 6
