NEW ORLEANS - For just the second time in their last nine matches, the University of New Orleans women's tennis team dropped a dual, falling to Illinois State 6-1 on Tuesday afternoon at the University Tennis Center.
The day got off to a rough start for UNO (7-5) as they dropped the doubles' point to ISU (6-6). A critical factor for the team's success, the Privateer women are 1-4 when dropping the doubles' point on the season.
In doubles', the UNO pairing of Cassandra Escobar and Kozue Matsumoto won their eight consecutive match on the No. 1 court, defeating Julie Zukbova and Fraziska Steinhardt 8-1. By the time that match was completed, the Privateer women had already lost the doubles' point as the Redbirds claimed victories on the No. 2 and No. 3 courts.
Hannah Esker and Carmen Peters clinched the doubles' point by dispatching Pia Dozo-Moreno and Anita Racz 8-3 on the No. 3 court, shortly after Tanja Hrovatic and Natalia Lech were victorious for ISU at No. 2, winning 8-2 over Kir Kemp and Ceara Howey. The loss was the first on the year for the pairing of Dozo-Moreno and Racz, who previously defeated Austin Peay in their lone appearance as a tandem.
Singles' play would also be rough as Escobar would register the only singles' win for UNO, defeating Steinhardt 6-2, 6-3 at No. 2.
Amber Garza put up a fight at No. 4, falling to Hrovatic 7-5, 6-4 while Kemp also came up short, dropping a close match at No. 1 to Zubkova 7-6 (5), 7-5.
The Privateers will be back in action this weekend as they travel to Hattiesburg, Miss. The squad will play Samford on Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. before facing Southern Mississippi on 12 p.m. on Sunday.
Illinois State 6, University of New Orleans 1
Mar 10, 2009 at New Orleans, La. (University Tennis Center)
Singles competition
1. Zubkova, Julia (ILS) def. Kir Kemp (UNOW) 7-6 (7-5), 7-5
2. Cassandra Escobar (UNOW) def. Steinhardt,Franziska (ILS) 6-2, 6-3
3. Lech, Natalia (ILS) def. Ceara Howey (UNOW) 6-0, 6-2
4. Hrovatic, Tanja (ILS) def. Amber Garza (UNOW) 7-5, 6-4
5. Esker, Hannah (ILS) def. Pia Dozo-Moreno (UNOW) 6-2, 6-2
6. Peters, Carmen (ILS) def. Anita Racz (UNOW) 6-0, 6-1
Doubles competition
1. Kozue Matsumoto/Cassandra Escobar (UNOW) def. Zubkova, Julia/Steinhardt,Franziska (ILS) 8-1
2. Hrovatic, Tanja/Lech, Natalia (ILS) def. Kir Kemp/Ceara Howey (UNOW) 8-2
3. Esker, Hannah/Peters, Carmen (ILS) def. Anita Racz/Pia Dozo-Moreno (UNOW) 8-3
