49ers Fall To USC In NCAA Second Round
Beach Hangs Tough Throughout
May 13, 2006 LOS ANGELES, CA-- It was much closer than the final tally suggested as the No. 27-ranked Long Beach State women's tennis team held its own at the top of the singles lineup only to eventually fall to No. 2-ranked USC 4-0 in the second round of the NCAA Championships at Marks Tennis Stadium on the USC campus. The 49ers end their season at 22-5 while USC improves to 19-3. The Women of Troy move to the NCAA Team Championships next weekend at Stanford.
USC began the afternoon by winning the doubles point. No. 18-ranked Luana Magnani and Lindsey Nelson prevailed 8-1 over No. 57-ranked Katy Williams and Sandra Rocha at the No. 2 spot. At No. 3 doubles, Judy Devera and Amanda Fink won 8-4 over Stephanie Benson and Rachael Porsz. At No. 1 doubles, the 41st-ranked 49er doubles team of Hannah Grady and Jessica Weeks led 7-5 over USC's Dianne Matias and Carine Vermeulen, who are ranked No. 28 in the country, before the match was halted.
The top of the LBSU singles lineup battled USC point-for-point. The Women of Troy captured the match by winning the four, five and six singles matches. At four, No. 29 Matias prevailed 6-2, 6-1 over Rocha while No. 101 Vermeulen won 6-0, 6-0 over Porsz at No. 6 singles. USC clinched the match at No. 5 singles as No. 59 Anca Anastasiu held off Weeks 6-3, 7-5.
At No. 1 doubles, the 49ers Hannah Grady, ranked No. 67 in singles play, led USC's number one singles player Lindsey Nelson 7-5, 3-3 when the match was called. Nelson is ranked No. 18 nationally. At No. 2 singles, Williams won the first set from No. 7 ranked Fink 7-6 (8-6), but then dropped the second set 6-1. They were just getting ready to begin the third set. At No. 3 singles, Bengson won the first set 6-3 over No. 47-ranked Magnani. Magnani won the second set 6-1 and Bengson held a 1-0 lead in the third.
Although the 49er team has been eliminated from the NCAA Team Championship race, two individuals will still be competing in the NCAA Championships. Hannah Grady will be competing in the singles bracket while Grady and Weeks will participate in the doubles bracket.
DOUBLES
1-#41-Grady/Weeks (LBSU) vs. #28-Matias/Vermeulen (USC), did not finish (7-5)
2-#18-Magnani/Nelson (USC) def. #57-Rocha/Williams (LBSU), 8-1
3-Devera/Fink (USC) def. Bengson/Porsz (LBSU), 8-4
SINGLES
1-#67-Hannah Grady (LBSU) vs. #18-Lindsey Nelson (USC), did not finish (7-5, 3-3)
2-Katy Williams (LBSU) vs. #7-Amanda Fink (USC), did not finish (7-6 (6), 1-6, 0-0)
3-Stephanie Bengson (LBSU) vs. #47 Luana Magnani (USC), did not finish (6-3, 1-6, 1-0)
4-#29-Dianne Matias (USC) def. Sandra Rocha (LBSU), 6-2, 6-1
5-#59-Anca Anastasiu (USC) def. Jessica Weeks (LBSU), 6-3, 7-5
6-#101-Carine Vermeulen (USC) deef. Rachael Porsz (LBSU), 6-0, 6-0 |
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