TCU
Lamar
TCU Gets Back on Track With 5-2 Win
3/9/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
March 9, 2011
FORT WORTH - TCU's women's tennis team returned to the win column Wednesday with a 5-2 victory over Lamar at the Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center in Fort Worth.
It was the second win of the spring for the Horned Frogs, with both of them coming over in-state foes. TCU knocked off UTPA on Jan. 22. Lamar was previously unbeaten and falls to 8-1.
"I thought we competed well today," TCU coach Dave Borelli said. "We played much better in the doubles. We won some tough matches in the singles. I was proud of the girls for battling with their backs against the wall and we stayed healthy as well."
TCU picked up the doubles point for the third time this season, sweeping all three matches in the process. It is the second time this season the Frogs have won all three doubles matches.
Maria Babanova and Idunn Hertzberg struck first for the Purple and White, grabbing an 8-4 win over Natalia Mayahoitia and Alicia Porte at No. 2 doubles. The TCU duo trailed 3-0 in the match before rattling off seven-straight game wins.
Shalini Sahoo and Olivia Smith clinched the point for the Frogs with an 8-3 win over Diana Mendez and Alessandra Pennesi at No. 3 doubles. The TCU tandem was playing together for the first time as doubles partners.
TCU's No. 1 doubles duo of Federica Denti and Katariina Tuohimaa put an exclamation point on the doubles portion of the competition when they scored an 8-4 win over 57th-ranked Mariaryeni Gutierrez and Kaltrina Harbuzi of Lamar. Denti and Tuohimaa improved to 5-2 this spring.
The Cardinals evened the match at 1 with a win at No. 6 singles when Mendez downed Molly Welsh, 6-0, 6-0. It was Welsh's first appearance in a TCU uniform.
The Frogs would never trail on the scoreboard, though, and extended their lead to 2-1 with Hertzberg's 6-3, 6-1 win at the expense of Lamar's Mayagoitia at No. 4 singles. The Oslo, Norway, native is 4-3 this spring.
At No. 3 singles, Sahoo made it 3-1 in favor of TCU with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Pennesi. The New Delhi, India, native brought her spring mark to 3-4.
Lamar made things interesting, though, with Gutierrez's 6-4, 6-4 win over TCU's Tuohimaa to make the score 3-2 with both remaining matches in third sets.
However, TCU sophomore Denti clinched the match for the Frogs when she hammered home a backhand winner to finish off a 6-1, 2-6, 6-4 win over Porte at No. 3 singles. Denti picked up her first win since the season opener against UTPA.
Smith added the fifth point for TCU at No. 2 singles with a 6-3, 0-6, 6-0 win over Lamar's Harbuzi. The Bath, England, native upped her spring tally to 5-2, including a 2-1 mark at the No. 2 slot.
TCU returns to action Saturday when third-ranked Miami (Fla.) visits the Friedman Tennis Center. First set is set for noon.
Match Results - March 9, 2011
Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center - Fort Worth, Texas
TCU 5, Lamar 2
SINGLES
1. Mariaryeni Gutierrez (LUW) def. Katariina Tuohimaa (TCU) 6-4, 6-4
2. Olivia Smith (TCU) def. Kaltrina Harbuzi (LUW) 6-3, 0-6, 6-0
3. Federica Denti (TCU) def. Alicia Porte (LUW) 6-1, 2-6, 6-4
4. Idunn Hertzberg (TCU) def. Natalia Mayagoitia (LUW) 6-3, 6-1
5. Shalini Sahoo (TCU) def. Alessandra Pennesi (LUW) 6-2, 6-1
6. Diana Mendez (LUW) def. Molly Welsh (TCU) 6-0, 6-0
DOUBLES
1. Federica Denti/Katariina Tuohimaa (TCU) def. #57 Mariaryeni Gutierrez/Kaltrina Harbuzi (LUW) 8-4
2. Maria Babanova/Idunn Hertzberg (TCU) def. Natalia Mayagoitia/Alicia Porte (LUW) 8-4
3. Shalini Sahoo/Olivia Smith (TCU) def. Diana Mendez/Alessandra Pennesi (LUW) 8-3
Match Notes:
Lamar 8-1
TCU 2-5
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (6,4,5,1,3,2)
Weather: 60F, Sunny, Wind SSW 20-25 MPH
A-151
Players Mentioned
