TUCSON, Ariz. - The No. 59 ranked Sacramento State women's tennis team upset No. 39 Arizona by a score of 5-1 on Sat., Feb. 16 at the LaNelle Robson Tennis Courts.
With the win, the Hornets improve to 6-1, while the Wildcats fall to 5-2.
The match was delayed two hours at the start, as the courts were rolled following a rainstorm that came through Tucson yesterday. With the delay, the two teams did not play doubles, instead playing an all-singles affair.
This proved to be in favor of the Hornets, who took the first two matches to finish. Junior Luba Schifris defeated Natalia Toporowska at No. 3 singles, 6-0, 4-6, 7-5, while sophomore Katrina Zheltova, ranked No. 63 nationally according to the Intercollegiate Tennis Association, took down No. 46 ranked Danielle Steinberg at No. 1 singles 6-2, 4-6, 6-1. Steinberg had previously been undefeated on the season.
Following freshman Melissa Valenzuela's defeat at No. 2 singles to Claire Rietsch in the only straight set match of the day (7-5, 6-2), the Wildcats pulled back to within one at 2-1. From there, the Hornets swept the remaining three matches to secure the victory. Junior Joyce Martinez Gutierrez defeated Katie Orletsky at No. 6 singles, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, which was followed by the clinching point by junior Anastassia Lyssenko, who defeated Jane Huh at the No. 3 singles spot, 3-6, 6-4, 7-5.
The Hornets final point of the day came in comeback fashion, as junior Karina Jarlkaganova improved her dual record to 5-1 on the season with a 1-6, 7-5, 6-3 victory over Ariane Masschelein at No. 5 singles.
Sacramento State travels next weekend to Southern California for a lone match, taking on the University of San Diego on Sat., Feb., 23 at 10 a.m.
2/16/2008 at Tucson, Ariz.
(LaNelle Robson Tennis Courts) #59 Sacramento State 5, #39 Arizona 1
Match Notes:
Sacramento State 6-1; National ranking #59
Arizona 5-2; National ranking #39 Order of finish: Doubles (); Singles (4,1,2,6,3,5) Doubles was not contested
TUCSON, Ariz.
