SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Clutch is a word Grant Hill, Bill Raftery and Jim Nantz used several times during the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Final Four. On Saturday at the John Mabry Tennis Courts, the University of New Orleans (9-8, 3-5 Southland) women's tennis team proved to be the same as the Privateers erased a 3-1 deficit to take the No. 7 spot in the Southland Conference with a 4-3 win over the University of the Incarnate Word (5-14, 3-5 Southland).
The top eight teams clinch a spot in the conference tournament and with three matches remaining, head coach
Burzis Kanga was encouraged with today's W.
"It was a tough battle with us losing the doubles point but the girls settled down and played a good match. They turned things around and deserved to win, and it puts us in a better position for the Southland Conference Tournament in a few weeks."
ON THREE SINGLES MATCHES NEEDING THIRD SET
"Our girls were amazing and relentless in rallying back. They lost the first set (No. 1, No. 6 and No. 5) but were able to take the next two for a win.
Yurina Asai won the decisive set and I am so proud of how we did, especially at No. 5 and No. 6."
BREAKDOWN
Trailing 1-0 after the Cardinals picked up the doubles point,
Claudette Gilhespie's 6-3, 6-1 win at No. 3.
Brittany Johnson played a close No. 4, falling to Sara Djurdjevic 6-4, 7-5, and
Anja Luethi took a lead 6-3 but fell at No. 2, 3-6, 6-0, 6-2, to put UIW in front 3-1 needing just one more point to clinch the match.
The Privateers took over as
Trang Dao expunged a 6-3 loss in the opener to take the top flight 3-6, 7-6, 6-1. At No. 6,
Mar Gendra did the same with a 4-6, 7-6, 6-2 W to knot it up at 3-3.
Asai's No. 5 performance clinched the victory and went the distance with the sophomore defeating Alejandra Landaluce 5-7, 7-6, 6-1, as UNO flipped spots in the Southland standings with UIW, taking the No. 7 spot.
NEXT UP
The team returns to the Big Easy for the final home match of the season April 7 versus the University of Central Arkansas. Senior
Anja Luethi will be honored for her contributions to the program.
SOCIAL MEDIA
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