NO. 39 WOMEN'S TENNIS FALLS TO NO. 20 ARIZONA STATE, 6-1

3/28/2009

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - The No. 39 ranked Sacramento State women's tennis team fell to the No. 20 ranked Arizona State Sun Devils by a score of 6-1 on Saturday, March 28 at Whiteman Tennis Center.

With the loss, the Hornets fall to 12-7 on the season, while Arizona State improved to 10-4.

In doubles action, the Sun Devils earned the point by winning all three matches contested, although not without some fight. At No. 2 doubles, the tandem of Michelle Brycki and Kelcy McKenna edged by redshirt freshman Clarisse Baca and senior Joyce Martinez Gutierrez of the Hornets, 8-7 (7-3).

On the singles side of the ledger, Arizona State took five of the six matches contested to take home the 6-1 victory. The lone Hornet win was posted by senior Luba Schifris at the No. 4 singles position, as she took down Michelle Brycki 6-2, 6-4.

Two matches went the distance, with one ending in three full sets and one being settled by a super tiebreak. In the longest match of the day, Martinez Gutierrez was bested by Sianna Simmons at No. 6, as Simmons was victorious 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (7-3). The No. 2 position went to a super tiebreak, as No. 43 ranked Nadia Abdala held off freshman Maria Meliuk 3-6, 6-3, 1-0 (13-11).

In a battle of All-Americans, Arizona State's Kelcy McKenna, currently ranked No. 3 in the nation by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association, defeated Hornet junior Katrina Zheltova, ranked No. 79 in the country, 6-4, 6-0. The match was just Zheltova's second since coming back from an illness that forced her to miss 11 contests.

Last season, the two team's competed in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, with Arizona State also coming out victorious on that day, 4-0.

Sacramento State returns to action on April 1 as they travel to No. 11 Stanford. First serve is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.

#20 Arizona State 6, #39 Sacramento State 1
Mar 28, 2009 at Scottsdale, Ariz. (Whiteman Tennis Center)

Singles competition
1. #3 McKENNA, Kelcy (ASU) def. #79 ZHELTOVA, Katrina (SAC) 6-4, 6-0
2. #43 ABDALA, Nadia (ASU) def. MELIUK, Maria (SAC) 3-6, 6-3, 1-0 (13-11)
3. ABDALA, Laila (ASU) def. TSAN, Aileen (SAC) 6-3, 6-3
4. SCHIFRIS, Luba (SAC) def. BRYCKI, Michelle (ASU) 6-2, 6-4
5. BROWN, Ashlee (ASU) def. BACA, Clarisse (SAC) 6-1, 6-2
6. SIMMONS, Sianna (ASU) def. MARTINEZ, Joyce (SAC) 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (7-3)

Doubles competition
1. #58 ABDALA, Laila/ABDALA, Nadia (ASU) def. SCHIFRIS, Luba/ZHELTOVA, Katrina (SAC) 8-4
2. BRYCKI, Michelle/McKENNA, Kelcy (ASU) def. BACA, Clarisse/MARTINEZ, Joyce (SAC) 8-7 (7-3)
3. BROWN, Ashlee/SIMMONS, Sianna (ASU) def. MELIUK, Maria/TSAN, Aileen (SAC) 8-2

Match Notes
Sacramento State 12-7; National ranking #39
Arizona State 10-4; National ranking #20
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (1,5,4,3,2,6)