WOMEN’S TENNIS CLAIMS FOURTH-STRAIGHT BIG
SKY CHAMPIONSHIP WITH 4-0 WIN OVER WSU
Sophomore Cecilia Helland clinched the Big Sky Championship for Sacramento State. |
PHOENIX, Ariz.—The No. 37 Sacramento State women’s tennis team won its fourth-consecutive Big Sky Conference championship with a 4-0 win over Weber State, Saturday afternoon at the Phoenix Tennis Center. With the win, the Hornets improve to 23-4 on the year and have now won 25-straight conference matches. Sacramento State’s four-straight titles has tied the conference record for consecutive-championships won in the Big Sky, tieing Weber State who won the first four league titles (1989-92).Sacramento State opened the day by claiming the doubles point with wins at the two and the three. The doubles match at the one was stopped due to the Hornets clinching the point. At the two, sophomore Anna Erikson and freshman Klara Petersson defeated Alexandra Illie and Gabriela Venditto, 8-2. At the three, senior Roberta Fessenko and sophomore Cecilia Helland defeated Chelsee Drews and Karla Pretorius, 8-1.
In singles action, Erikson, ranked No. 105 in the nation, defeated Elana Smit at the one, 6-0, 6-1. At the three, Petersson defeated Drews, 6-0, 6-2. Helland, ranked No. 102, clinched the championship win with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Pretorius. Fessenko, senior Cristina Rivieccio and sophomore Anna Karaveyeva were leading their matches when the Hornets clinched the title.
Sacramento State will return to action on in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday, May 13. The NCAA pairings will be announced on Wednesday, May 4 on ESPNews at 1:30 p.m. PDT. The Hornets will be looking to advance past the first round for the first time in school history. Last year, the Hornets dropped a heartbreaker to Fresno State, 4-3. In 2003, Sacramento State fell to UCLA 4-0. In 2002, Stanford defeated the Hornets 4-0.
2005 Big Sky Conference Championship
No. 37 Sacramento State 4
Weber State 0
Phoenix Tennis Center, Phoenix, Ariz.
Singles
1) No. 105 Anna Erikson (SAC) def. Elana Smit (WSU) 6-0, 6-1
2) Roberta Fessenko (SAC) vs. Alexandra Ilie (WSU) DNF
3) Klara Petersson (SAC) def. Chelsee Drews (WSU) 6-0, 6-2
4) No. 102 Cecilia Helland (SAC) def.Karla Pretorius (WSU) 6-1, 6-1
5) Anna Karaveyeva (SAC) vs. Gabriela Venditto (WSU) DNF
6) Cristina Rivieccio (SAC) vs. Inalise Pienaar (WSU) DNF
Doubles
1) Karnaukhova/Karaveyeva (SAC) vs. Smit/Pienaar (WSU) DNF
2) Petersson/Erikson (SAC) def. Ilie/Venditto (WSU) 8-2
3) Helland/Fessenko (SAC) def. Drews/Pretorius (WSU) 8-1
