NEW ORLEANS, La. – The New Orleans Privateers women's tennis team (2-2) had their rally fall just shy in a 4-3 loss to the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks (3-1) on Monday afternoon at the University Tennis Center.
The Privateers were overwhelmed in losing the doubles point to start the match. The tandem of
Grace Nolan and
Marta Sans opened by taking the first game at love, but had their serve broken twice in an 8-4 loss on Court 1.
"Once again, the doubles point came back and haunted us," said Head Coach
Burzis Kanga. "We never capitalized on any of the doubles points. We're struggling with doubles. The combinations we're trying are falling just a little short against the better teams."
In singles, Nolan was beaten 6-0, 6-0 in the first match that finished. Sans dropped her match after battling an existing injury and the Warhawks were in command, leading the dual 3-0. That's when the Privateers started the comeback at the bottom of the rotation.
Anna Segarra Rius was ahead 4-2 in the first set at the 4 position. Her serve was broken though against Sandy Lochu and the score became tied at 4-4. Rius rallied from an early deficit in the next game on the strength of a well-executed drop shot that started the run. Rius closed out the set at 6-4 and finished her match with a 6-2 second set win. After
Hafsa Laraibi won a long first set at the 5 position, she finished off Angela Tejedor with ease in the second set to pull the Privateers within a point on the match.
Back on Court 2,
Soledad Calderon Arroyo dropped the first set to Sophie Rufyikiri 6-4. Arroyo battled back and broke serve to push ahead 4-3 in the second set. The set went to a tiebreaker, and Arroyo raced to a 3-1 lead, but Rufyikiri closed strong to win the tiebreaker and clinch the match for the Warhawks. Arroyo battled despite starting to cramp up late in the second set.
With the match already sealed for the Warhawks, Yasmine Rashad closed out a three-set win at the 6 position to give New Orleans their final team point on the day.
"I thought we played a good match. It's a shame because we came so close to beating a team we hadn't beaten before. It's somewhat disheartening. Soledad fought a great battle, but unfortunately she came up short," said Kanga.
New Orleans will continue their home stretch on Sunday when they take on Troy. The match is set for 10 a.m. at the University Tennis Center.
Louisiana Monroe-4 New Orleans-3
DOUBLES
1. Medy Blankvoort/Petra Horakova (ULM) def.
Grace Nolan/
Marta Sans (UNO) 8-4
2. Angela Tejedor/Sophie Rufyikiri (ULM) def. Yasmine Rashad/
Soledad Calderon Arroyo (UNO) 8-3
3. Sandy Lochu/Sthefani Rodriguez (ULM) vs.
Hafsa Laraibi/
Anna Segarra Rius (UNO) 7-3, unfinished
SINGLES
1. Medy Blankvoort (ULM) def.
Grace Nolan (UNO) 6-0, 6-0
2. Sophie Rufyikiri (ULM) def.
Soledad Calderon Arroyo (UNO) 6-4, 7-6 (7-3)
3. Petra Horakova (ULM) def.
Marta Sans (UNO) 6-2, 6-3
4.
Anna Segarra Rius (UNO) def. Sandy Lochu (ULM) 6-4, 6-2
5.
Hafsa Laraibi (UNO) def. Angela Tejedor (ULM) 7-5, 6-1
6. Yasmine Rashad (UNO) def. Sthefani Rodriguez (ULM) 6-1, 4-6, 6-4
