Alabama Tennis Rolls with 4-0 win over Texas Tech
2/19/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
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TUSCALOOSA – For the second time in a week the Alabama (2-4) women’s tennis team won with a sweep, this time defeating Texas Tech 4-0 at the Hank Crisp Indoor Facility on Sunday.
Mari Muller clinched the win with a hard-fought 7-6, 6-2 win at the No. 3 singles position. It was Muller’s first match-clinching win of the season.
“I’m proud of how Mari fought today and finished her match off,” Alabama head coach Jenny Mainz said. “She continues to get better and gain confidence each time she plays.
Alabama got off to perhaps its best start of the season. The Tide won big at No.1 and No. 2 doubles to claim the doubles point to take control of the match’s momentum early. Fifteenth-ranked Robin Stephenson and Ashley Bentley dominated Tara Browning and Lakann Wagley, winning 8-1. Muller and Melissa Day then answered by defeating No. 23-ranked Katja Kovacic and Erin Hunter by the same 8-1 margin to give Alabama the early 1-0 lead.
“It was big for us to come out and win the doubles point today,” Mainz said. “It really gave us the momentum and I think that carried over into singles.”
It was clear early in singles that Alabama was playing with much more confidence. Stephenson, Bentley and Muller all claimed the opening set of their matches. Thirteenth-ranked Stephenson jumped out big on No. 75-ranked Tara Browning, taking her opening set 6-0 and eventually winning the match in straight sets, 6-0, 6-4.
Bentley’s match ended almost simultaneously with Stephenson’s. Bentley took her match easily, 6-3, 6-1 and pushed the Tide to the brink of clinching the match. Moments later Muller finished off Janet Durham for Alabama’s second win of the season.
In its two wins this year Alabama has dominated its opponents by the margin of 11-0.
Stephenson’s win over Browning at No. 1 singles is her 17th victory over a ranked opponent in the last two seasons and runs her record to 14-5 this season. With 82 career wins, she is just six wins shy of tying the school’s all-time wins mark. Bentley also claimed two victories this weekend and now has 80 career wins, eight shy of the current record.
Alabama now has two weeks off before beginning SEC play on March 3 in Nashville, Tenn. against Vanderbilt.
Tennis Match Results
Texas Tech vs Alabama
Feb 19, 2006 at Tuscaloosa, Ala.
#55 Alabama 4, #61 Texas Tech 0
Singles competition:
1. #13 Robin Stephenson (UA) def. #75 Tara Browning (TT) 6-0, 6-4
2. Ashley Bentley (UA) def. Cigdem Duru (TT) 6-3, 6-1
3. Mari Muller (UA) def. Janet Durham (TT) 7-6, 6-2
4. Melissa Day (UA) vs. Sam van der Drift (TT) 4-6, 3-2, unfinished
5. Andrea Brenes (UA) vs. Lakann Wagley (TT) unfinished
6. Sofia Ayala (UA) vs. Erin Hunter (TT) unfinished
Doubles competition:
1. #15 Robin Stephenson/Ashley Bentley (UA) def. Tara Browning/Lakann Wagley (TT) 8-1
2. #44 Mari Muller/Melissa Day (UA) def. #23 Katja Kovacic/Erin Hunter (TT) 8-1
3. Janet Durham/Cigdem Duru (TT) def. Natalie McElveen/Andrea Brenes (UA) 8-1
Match Notes:
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (2,1,3)
Stephenson's 17th win over a ranked opponents in last two seasons
No. 4,5 and 6 singles were not finished
