Women's Tennis Extends Winning Streak To Four With 4-1 Victory

BOX SCORE (PDF)
 
NEW ORLEANS – The University of New Orleans women's tennis team played its lone non-conference match of the four-match on Wednesday afternoon against the University of Rhode Island, besting the visiting Rams 4-1.

Junior Anja Luethi led New Orleans (8-3) with a 6-2, 6-2 victory at the second singles position, while pairing up with senior Anna Segarra Rius for first time in seven matches for a 6-1 performance at the top doubles flight.

"I'm very pleased with how we handled ourselves today," head coach Burzis Kanga said. "I wasn't sure what to expect from Rhode Island, they beat us in doubles but we recovered and won four-straight matches in singles. Anja did a great job today winning in both singles and doubles. Across the board I thought that everyone played great."

Rhode Island (4-8) claimed the doubles point with victories at the second and third doubles position. The two sides split on courts one and three with Luethi and Segarra winning 6-1 while the duo of sophomore Brittany Johnson and Paula Garriga dropped a 6-2 decision. At the second position, senior Yasmine Rashad and sophomore Trang Dao forced a tiebreaker game with a tied 6-6 score, but lost the decider 7-3 to give the Rams the doubles point.

In singles play, freshman Yurina Asai put the Privateers on the scoreboard with a 6-3, 6-0 win at the sixth flight, with Luethi's 6-2, 6-2 win putting UNO ahead 2-1. Johnson moved New Orleans one point away from clinching the overall victory with a 6-3, 6-1 score on court four, followed by Rashad's 6-4, 6-4 win to end the contest.

"We are gelling on the court right now," Kanga said. "With two conference matches this weekend it could not be a better time for us to be playing some of our best tennis of the season."

UNO's homestand continues on Friday, Mar. 17 against Stephen F. Austin with Northwestern State on Sunday, Mar. 19.
 
New Orleans 4, University of Rhode Island 1
 
Singles competition
1. Trang Dao (UNO) vs. Mihaela Codreanu (URI) 6-4, 4-6, unfinished
2. Anja Luethi (UNO) def. Ariel Haber (URI) 6-2, 6-2
3. Anna Segarra Rius (UNO) vs. Rachel Smilansky (URI) 6-4, 3-5, unfinished
4. Brittany Johnson (UNO) def. Tiara Higuchi (URI) 6-3, 6-1
5. Yasmine Rashad (UNO) def. Emily Zargham (URI) 6-4, 6-4
6. Yurina Asai (UNO) def. Nicole Legler (URI) 6-3, 6-0
 
Doubles competition
1. Anja Luethi/Anna Segarra Rius (UNO) def. Rachel Smilansky/Ariel Haber (URI) 6-1
2. Mihaela Codreanu/Tiara Higuchi (URI) def. Trang Dao/Yasmine Rashad (UNO) 7-6 (7-3)
3. Emily Zargham/Nicole Legler (URI) def. Brittany Johnson/Paula Garriga (UNO) 6-2