Box Score
DALLAS (SMU) – The Mustangs carried momentum from their regular season charge into the first round of the American Athletic Conference Championship Wednesday, overpowering No. 12 seed Temple, 4-0, at the SMU Tennis Complex. The Mustangs extend their win streak to seven matches with wins in nine of their last 10.
In hopes of earning its first AAC title, No. 5 SMU will advance to face No. 4 USF in the quarterfinals tomorrow at noon at the Crum Tennis Courts. The Mustangs have reached the quarterfinal round in each of the four AAC championships dating back to 2014.
The Mustangs secured the doubles point for the 15
th time this season behind dominant performances from the top and bottom of the lineup.
Karina Traxler and
Sarai Monarrez Yesaki found their 11
th win of the spring with a 6-3 victory over Alina Abdurakhimova and Monet Stuckey-Willis. The point was secured by
Nicole Petchey and
Ana Perez-Lopez, who found a 6-2 win at No. 3. SMU is now 13-2 when earning the doubles point this season.
Straight set wins from juniors
Liza Buss and Perez-Lopez propelled the Mustangs to their fifth sweep of the season. Buss finished her match quickly, defeating Stuckey-Willis, 6-2, 6-2, before second sets even began on other courts. Perez-Lopez battled to a 6-4, 6-4 win over Yana Khon to earn her 15th win of dual match season. She leads the team with a 15-6 dual match record.
Monarrez Yesaki impressed in a comeback win that required three sets to complete. She fell to Kristina Titova in the first set, but rebounded to take the second and final sets for a 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 score.
The Mustangs will face the Bulls tomorrow for the second time this season. SMU lost a tight match, 4-3, to USF at home in February.
No. 5 SMU 4, No. 12 Temple 0
April 18, 2018 – SMU Tennis Complex
Doubles (Order of finish: 3, 1)
- Karina Traxler / Sarai Monarrez Yesaki (SMU) def. Alina Abdurakhimova / Monet Stuckey-Willis (TEM) 6-3
- Tiffany Hollebeck / Anzhelika Shapovalova (SMU vs. Rimpledeep Kaur / Alice Patch (TEM) 4-5 unfinished
- Nicole Petchey / Ana Perez-Lopez (SMU) def. Yana Khon / Kristina Titova (TEM) 6-2
Singles (Order of finish: 2, 4, 5)
- Karina Traxler (SMU) vs. Alina Abdurakhimova (TEM) 7-5, 4-2, unfinished
- Liza Buss (SMU) def. Monet Stuckey-Willis (TEM) 6-2, 6-2
- Anzhelika Shapovalova (SMU) vs. Rimpledeep Kaur (TEM) 4-6, 5-6, unfinished
- Ana Perez-Lopez (SMU) def. Yana Khon (TEM) 6-4, 6-4
- Sarai Monarrez Yesaki (SMU) def. Kristina Titova (TEM) 4-6, 6-1, 6-2
- Nicole Petchey (SMU) vs. Alice Patch (TEM) 6-7, 4-1, unfinished
