March 11, 2007
HOUSTON (SMU) - The No. 55 SMU women's tennis team swept Conference USA foe Houston this afternoon, 7-0. With this win, the Mustangs advance to 9-4 on the season and 1-1 in conference play.
"We came out and played the smartest tennis that we have played thus far," said head coach Lauren Longbotham. "The wind was a little breezy, but we worked with it and we were very determined and focused. We are improving in our ground strokes, not only in consistency but also in placement. It was good to have Kristin and Natalia back into the line-up. They both came out and stepped up and played hard for us. I am very pleased with how the girls played today."
SMU secured the doubles point with wins at the No. 1 and No. 3 slots. Natalia Bubien and Claire Rietsch returned to their usually spot in the doubles line-up at No. 1, as the pair commanded a 8-3 win over Sonja Nikolic and Rebecca Franzi. Monica Neveklovska and Kristen Reid clinched the doubles point with a 8-3 win over Anna Djananova and Vicky Simpson at the No. 3 spot. Pavi Francis and Jennifer Chay were not able to take the win over Leila Salek and Loli Gomez as they fell, 8-6.
Rietsch quickly took care of Djananova as she took the, 6-0, 6-0 shut-out at No 3 singles while Francis controlled Franzi for the 6-2, 6-1 win at No. 4 singles. Bubien sealed the win for the Mustangs as she demanded a 6-1, 6-2 win over Salek at No. 1 singles. Chay finished Gomez off, 6-1, 6-1 at No. 2 while Georgiana Marta posted a 6-2, 6-2 win over Simpson at No. 5 singles. Neveklovska secured the Mustang sweep as she outlasted Neila Starratt at the No. 6 spot, 6-3, 1-6, 10-7.
The Mustangs will continue their road-trip as they head to Little Rock, Ark., to face UALR on March 17 at noon and South Alabama the following day also at noon.
Tennis Match ResultsSouthern Methodist vs Houston3/11/2007 at Houston, Texas
#55 Southern Methodist 7, Houston 0
Singles competition1. Bubien, Natalia (SMU) def. Leila Salek (HOU) 6-1, 6-22. Chay, Jennifer (SMU) def. Loli Gomez (HOU) 6-1, 6-13. Rietsch, Claire (SMU) def. Anna Djananova (HOU) 6-0, 6-04. Francis, Pavi (SMU) def. Rebecca Franzi (HOU) 6-2, 6-15. Marta, Georgiana (SMU) def. Vicky Simpson (HOU) 6-2, 6-26. Neveklovska, Monica (SMU) def. Neila Starratt (HOU) 6-3, 1-6, 10-7
Doubles competition1. Bubien, Natalia/Rietsch, Claire (SMU) def. Sonja Nikolic/Rebecca Franzi (HOU) 8-32. Leila Salek/Loli Gomez (HOU) def. Francis, Pavi/Chay, Jennifer (SMU) 8-63. Neveklovska, Monica/Reid, Kristen (SMU) def. Anna Djananova/Vicky Simpson (HOU) 8-3
Match Notes:Southern Methodist 9-4 (1-1); National ranking #55Houston 9-5 (1-2)Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (3,4,1,2,5,6)
