Alabama
UAB
No. 25 Women's Tennis Sweeps Doubleheader
1/29/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Jan. 23, 2010
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The 25th-ranked women's tennis team opened its 2010 dual-match season with a pair of wins against UAB and Southern Mississippi Saturday at the University of Alabama Tennis Stadium. The Crimson Tide defeated the Blazers 6-1 to open the day and followed that up with another 6-1 victory, with the only loss being a forfeit on singles court six, to the Golden Eagles.
"Even though today was a long day we got some very valuable, much-needed matches," head coach Jenny Mainz said. "I liked the way we played against Southern Mississippi with our backs against the wall, and it got tight for a while but we were able to fight our way through. I also thought we got better as the day went on and played with much more conviction and purpose."
In the morning match, Alabama dominated in-state foe UAB coming out on top 6-1. The Tide dropped a total of seven games to the Blazers in doubles action, winning all three courts in convincing fashion. The tandem of senior Paulina Bigos and junior Meritt Emery quickly claimed an 8-1 victory over junior Jennifer Cape and freshman Menanteau Moolman at the No. 3 spot. Freshman Alexa Guarachi and senior Alice Tunaru finished moments later on court two to clinch the doubles point, earning an 8-2 win over UAB's junior duo of Brittany DeFelice and Giorgia Romeo. The matchup on court one was more competitive, but the sophomore Courtney McLane and freshman Antonia Foehse teamed up to down sophomore Paula Alvarez and junior Evelien Strijker 8-5 to complete the doubles sweep for Alabama.
Singles play saw Alabama take control of all but one court quickly. Emery reeled off the first eight games of her match against Moolman at the No. 4 spot before dropping serve at 2-0 in the second set. However, that would be the only game the Tide junior lost on her way to a 6-0, 6-1 victory. McLane won the first 10 games of her match on court one against Strijker before the Blazer junior could get on the board. Strijker could not maintain any moment however, and McLane cruised 6-0, 6-1. Foehse, playing in her first collegiate dual match, delivered the clinching win for Alabama by defeating DeFelice 6-1, 6-1 at the No. 5 position.
Guarachi, also competing in her first dual match and ranked No. 82 in the nation, took the opening set on court two 6-2 and appeared to be on her way to another easy victory for the Tide when she went up 4-1 in the second set. However, Alvarez was able to get the set back on serve at 4-3. Guarachi picked up the level of her game, breaking right back for 5-3 and served out the match in the next game. Tunaru fought through a tough 6-3 opening set at the No. 6 spot, and ran away with the second set by winning four straight games on her way to 6-3, 6-2 victory. The only compelling match took place between Bigos and Romeo on court three. Bigos dropped the first set 6-3, but battled back in the second. The two players struggled to hold serve throughout the set, which eventually went to a tiebreaker. Bigos jumped ahead quickly in the tiebreaker, taking it seven point to three. Play was stopped after the completion of the second set since the dual match had already been decided.
RESULTS
Doubles
1. McLane/Foehse (UA) def. Alvarez/Strijker (UAB) 8-5
2. Guarachi/Tunaru (UA) def. DeFelice/Romeo (UAB) 8-2
3. Bigos/Emery (UA) def. Cape/Moolman (UAB) 8-2
Order of Finish: 3,2,1
Singles
1. Courtney McLane (UA) def. Evelien Strijker (UAB) 6-0, 6-1
2. No. 82 Alexa Guarachi (UA) def. Paula Alvarez (UAB) 6-2, 6-3
3. Giorgia Romeo (UAB) def. Paulina Bigos (UA) 3-6, 7-6(3), ret.
4. Meritt Emery (UA) def. Menanteau Moolman (UAB) 6-0, 6-1
5. Antonia Foehse (UA) def. Brittany DeFelice (UAB) 6-1, 6-1
6. Alice Tunaru (UA) def. Jennifer Cape (UAB) 6-3, 6-2
Order of Finish: 4,1,5*,2,6,3
Players Mentioned
