WOMEN'S TENNIS SWEEPS NORTHERN ARIZONA, 7-0, TO REMAIN PERFECT IN BIG SKY PLAY

3/4/2007

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Sacramento State women’s tennis team improved to 3-0 against Big Sky Conference teams this season with a 7-0 victory over Northern Arizona on Saturday afternoon at the Rio Del Oro Racquet Club.

The Hornets are now 6-3 overall while NAU dropped to 3-8.

Sacramento State was tested in all three doubles matches but managed to claim victory in each match. The top-seeded team of Katrina Zheltova and Luba Schifris recorded an 8-4 win over Leslie Vial and Katie Schurr for the first win. At No. 3, Karina Jarlkaganova and Joyce Martinez Gutierrez downed Regan Newman and Paij Porter, 8-4, to secure the doubles point. Anastassia Lussenko and Aileen Tsan completed the sweep with an 8-6 win over Patrice Biemold and Susan McClelland at No. 3.

In singles play, Zheltova , once again, showed her dominance with a 6-1, 6-1, win over Biemold at No. 1. Cecilia Helland followed with a 6-0, 6-0, blanking of Porter at No. 6 to put Sacramento State on top 3-0. The Hornets clinched the match moments later when Tsan downed McClelland, 6-2, 6-1 at No. 3.

The final three singles matches were also decided in straight sets. Schifris beat Vial, 6-1, 6-2, at No. 4; Lyssenko defeated Schurr, 6-4, 6-1, at No. 2; and Martinez Gutierrez bettered Stacey Pinchbeck, 6-2, 6-2, at No. 6.

In all, Sacramento State surrendered just 17 of the 89 games in the six singles matches.

The Hornets will next be in action against New Mexico State on Friday, March 9.

SACRAMENTO STATE 7, NORTHERN ARIZONA 0
Singles
1. Katrina Zheltova (SAC) def. Patrice Biemold, 6-1, 6-1
2. Anastassia Lyssenko (SAC) def. Katie Schurr, 6-4, 6-1
3. Aileen Tsan (SAC) def. Susan McClelland, 6-2, 6-1
4. Luba Schifris (SAC) def. Leslie Vial, 6-1, 6-2
5. Joyce Martinez Gutierrez (SAC) def. Stacey Pinchbeck, 6-2, 6-2
6. Cecilia Helland (SAC) def. Paij Porter, 6-0, 6-0

Doubles
1. Zheltova/Schifris (SAC) def. Vial/Schurr, 8-4
2. Lyssenko/Tsan (SAC) def. Biemold/McClelland, 8-6
3. Karina Jarlkaganova/Martinez Gutierrez (SAC) def. Regan Newman/ Porter, 8-4

Order of Finish:
Singes: 1, 6, 3, 4, 2, 5
Doubles: 1, 3, 2