WOMEN’S TENNIS IMPROVES TO 11-5 WITH 4-3 VICTORY OVER LOYOLA MARYMOUNT
3/25/2007
LOS ANGELES - One day after a narrow 4-3 loss to 19th-ranked Pepperdine, the Sacramento State women’s tennis team bounced back with a 4-3 victory over Loyola Marymount Sunday afternoon at the LMU Tennis Center.
With the win, Sacramento State improved to 11-5 overall, including 7-5 on the road. All five of the Hornets’ losses this season have come on the road against a nationally ranked opponent. Loyola Marymount dropped to 8-8 with the loss.
The Lions jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead, as they began things by winning two of three doubles matches to gain the doubles point. Pavla Mesterova then defeated the Hornets’ Katrina Zheltova at No. 1 (6-4, 3-0, ret.) to give LMU the 2-0 lead.
However, Sacramento State stormed back by winning four consecutive singles matches to clinch the match. Sophomores Luba Schifris (No. 3; 6-2, 6-4), Karina Jarlkaganova (No. 6; 6-2, 6-4) and Joyce Martinez Gutierrez (No. 4; 6-3, 6-3), and senior Cecilia Helland (No. 5; 4-6, 6-3, 6-2) won in successive order to give the Hornets the necessary four points for victory.
At No. 2 singles, Hornet sophomore Anastassia Lyssenko fell to Robyn Baker, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 to close out the singles portion of play and the match.
Helland improved her singles record to 15-1 this season, as the team’s lone upperclassman has now won 15 consecutive matches since a season-opening loss to Cal’s Bojana Bobusic. Martinez has won four straight and nine of the last 11 matches to improve her singles record to 10-6.
Sacramento State returns to action on Saturday, March 31, when the team hosts Harvard at 1 p.m. Harvard was ranked 22nd in the ITA’s preseason poll. The Hornets are currently ranked 45th in the nation.
LOS ANGELES - One day after a narrow 4-3 loss to 19th-ranked Pepperdine, the Sacramento State women’s tennis team bounced back with a 4-3 victory over Loyola Marymount Sunday afternoon at the LMU Tennis Center.
