Alabama
University of Tulsa
Day One of Blue Gray National Tennis Classic in the Books for Alabama Women’s Tennis
2/24/2017 6:04:00 PM | Women's Tennis
Crimson Tide set to continue singles play against Texas Tech on Saturday at 8:30 a.m. CT
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Alabama women's tennis blanked No. 40 Tulsa, 4-0, in the first round of the 69th annual Blue Gray National Tennis Classic at the O'Connor Tennis Center on Friday afternoon. The Crimson Tide (5-3) lost the doubles point against No. 5 Texas Tech in the second round, and the two will continue singles play tomorrow 8:30 a.m. CT at the Lagoon Park Tennis Center.
The Tide dominated doubles play against Tulsa, as it won on all three courts to take a 1-0 match advantage headed into singles play. Alabama's doubles point record improves to 6-2 on the year. Senior Erin Routliffe and freshman Maddie Pothoff teamed up to pick up Alabama's first doubles win, as the duo topped Ksenia Laskutova and Martina Okalova on court one in a 6-1 decision. Senior Danielle Spielmann and sophomore Andie Daniell defeated Rongrong Leenabanchong and Martha Matoula on court two, 7-5, before junior Smith Hinton and freshman Juliana Valero partnered up to top Marcelina Cichon and Mahitha Dadireddy in 7-5 decision on court three.
The momentum continued to roll for the Tide in singles play, as Daniell (No. 2) defeated Leenabanchong in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2, to extend its match lead to 2-0. Valero (No. 6) claimed a win in straight sets against Cichon, 6-4, 6-3, to give the Tide a 3-0 match advantage. Alabama's No. 116 ranked singles player Routliffe (No. 1) clinched the match victory for the Tide, as she topped Laskutova in straight sets, 7-5, 6-1.
Alabama fell short in doubles play against No. 5 Texas Tech, as the Red Raiders won courts two and three to take a 1-0 match lead headed into singles play tomorrow morning. Texas Tech's No. 33 ranked doubles pair Felicity Maltby and Gabriela Talaba defeated Daniell/Spielmann (No. 2) in a 6-3 decision on court two, before Alaba Cortina-Pou and Alex Valenstein topped Hinton and Valero (No. 3), 6-3, on court three to clinch the doubles point. Singles play against Texas Tech is set to begin tomorrow at 8:30 a.m. CT at the Lagoon Park Tennis Center.
Alabama 4, No. 40 Tulsa 0
SINGLES
1. No. 116 Erin Routliffe (Alabama) def. Ksenia Laskutova (Tulsa) 7-5, 6-1
2. Andie Daniell (Alabama) def. Rongrong Leenabanchong (Tulsa) 6-2, 6-2
3. Danielle Spielmann (Alabama) vs. Mahitha Dadireddy (Tulsa) 6-4, 5-4 DNF
4. Joanna Savva (Alabama) vs. Martina Okalova (Tulsa) 6-7, 1-2 DNF
5. Maddie Pothoff (Alabama) vs. Martha Matoula (Tulsa)7-5, 3-2 DNF
6. Juliana Valero (Alabama) def. Marcelina Cichon (Tulsa) 6-4, 6-3
Order of finish: 2,6,1
DOUBLES
1. Erin Routliffe/Maddie Pothoff (Alabama) def. Ksenia Laskutova/Martina Okalova (Tulsa) 6-1
2. Andie Daniell/Danielle Spielmann (Alabama) def. Rongrong Leenabanchong/Martha Matoula (Tulsa) 7-5
3. Smith Hinton/Juliana Valero (Alabama) def. Marcelina Cichon/Mahitha Dadireddy (Tulsa) 7-5
Order of finish: 1,2,3
Alabama 0, No. 5 Texas Tech 1
DOUBLES
1. Maddie Pothoff/Erin Routliffe (Alabama) vs. Sarah Dvorak/Sabrina Federici (Texas Tech) 4-3, DNF
2. Felicity Maltby/Gabriela Talaba (Texas Tech) def. Andie Daniell/Danielle Spielmann (Alabama) 6-3
3. Alaba Cortina-Pou/Alex Valenstein (Texas Tech) def. Smith Hinton/Juliana Valero (Alabama) 6-3
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