49ers Win NCAA Opener Over New Mexico
Beach Defeats Lobos 4-1
May 12, 2006 LOS ANGELES, CA-- The Long Beach State women's tennis team picked up its first NCAA win in school history with a 4-1 win over No. 46-ranked University of New Mexico on Friday afternoon at the Marks Tennis Stadium on the campus of USC. The No. 27-ranked 49ers (22-4) earned two victories over nationally-ranked Lobo (14-9) players in singles action to close out the win.
"This definitely is a strong win for us and great for the program," said 49er Head Coach Jenny Hilt-Costello. "We did a good job coming out strong and dominating in doubles. We battled in singles as well and managed to come away with three points in the end. Our doubles performance across the board was extremely strong. For a freshman team (Grady and Weeks) to battle the No. 4 doubles team in the country shot-for-shot was very impressive."
The 49ers won the doubles point winning at the No. 2 and No. 3 spots. At two doubles, Sandra Rocha and Katy Williams picked up an 8-5 win over Lucy Scott and Ola Abou-Zekry. At No. 3 doubles, Stephanie Bengson and Rachael Porsz won 8-4 over Nora Quintal and Maria Sotirchos. The anticipated showdown at No. 1 doubles between two nationally-ranked teams did not finish with the score tied at 8-8. Hannah Grady and Jessica Weeks of LBSU are ranked No. 41 in the country and they battled the No. 4-ranked doubles team of Maja Kovacek and Iva Gersic point-for-point.
In singles play the 49ers got strong performances from Grady, Williams and Bengson to clinch the match. Two of the wins came over nationally-ranked players. Grady got things off to a strong start with a suprisingly easy 6-2, 6-1 win over Kovacek, who was ranked No. 31 in the nation. For the No. 67-ranked Grady, it marked her seventh victory over a nationally-ranked opponent this spring.
"Hannah came out with a focus and energy that translated into some great tennis," said 49er Assistant Coach Hally Cohen. "She's put in the hard work this year and it showed today as she beat a very strong opponent."
At No. 2 singles, Williams came away with a hard fought 7-6 (1), 6-4 win over No. 81-ranked Gersic. Down 6-5 in the first set, Williams won to tie the set at 6-6 and then dominated in the tie-breaker scoring the first five points en route to a 7-1 win. Bengson picked up the third win with a 6-3, 6-3 triumph over Quintal. Bengson was down 3-2 in the second set but came back to win the final four games to clinch the win.
The lone UNM point came at No. 4 singles as Abou-Zekry won 6-0, 6-0 over Rocha. Matches at five and six did not finish as the 49ers clinched the victory with its fourth point of the day when Williams won at No. 2 singles.
The 49ers will move to the second round of the NCAA Championships on Saturday where they will take on No. 2-ranked USC at 2 pm at Marks Tennis Stadium.
DOUBLES
1-#31-Grady/Weeks (LBSU) vs. #4-Kovacek/Gersic (UNM), did not finish (8-8)
2-#57-Rocha/Williams (LBSU) def. Scott Abou-Zekry (UNM), 8-5
3-Bengson/Porsz (LBSU) def. Quintal/Sotirchos (UNM), 8-4
SINGLES
1-#67-Hannah Grady (LBSU) def. #31-Maja Kovacek (UNM), 6-2, 6-1
2-Katy Williams (LBSU) def. #81-Iva Gersic (UNM), 7-6 (1), 6-4
3-Stephanie Bengson (LBSU) def. Nora Quintal (UNM), 6-3, 6-3
4-Ola Abou-Zekry (UNM) def. Sandra Rocha (LBSU), 6-0, 6-0
5-Jessica Weeks (LBSU) vs. Lucy Scott (UNM), did not finish (3-6, 6-3, 2-3)
6-Rachael Porsz (LBSU) vs. MacKenzie White (UNM), did not finish (4-6, 5-6) |
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