DENVER, Colo. – No. 54 Wichita State won its eighth dual-match in a row when they defeated No. 57 Denver 4-3 at the Colorado Athletics Club-Monaco in Denver. The Shockers are now 8-2 on the year while the Pioneers fell to 2-6.
Julia Schiller/Abby Stevens of No. 54 Wichita State (the seventh highest ranked team started off the dual-match with an 8-2 victory in doubles play against Caroline Schnell/Evy Van Genechten of No. 57 Denver. Sonja Radosevic/Kathryn Hughes of the Pioneers defeated Lucia Kovalova/Veronika Blaskova 8-7(5) to tie the doubles portion at a win apiece.
Montse Blasco Fernandez/Rebecca Pedrazzi (the ninth ranked team in the ITA's Central Doubles Rankings) won their doubles match 8-5 against Michelle Garpenlov/Maureen Slattery of No. 57 Denver to give the Shockers the 1-0 dual-match advantage going into singles play.
Radosevic beat Kovalova 6-0, 6-3 to begin singles play and tied the dual-match at one apiece. Pedrazzi gave the Shockers a 2-1 advantage after taking down Schnell 6-1, 6-0.Van Genechten tied the dual-match again at two apiece after earning a 6-1, 6-3 victory against Blasco Fernandez.
Satjaporn Mahajaroenkul gave the Shockers their third lead of the dual-match at 3-2 when she won 6-4, 6-2 over Charlotte Derbyshire. Hughes would tie the dual-match yet again for the Pioneers, earning a 6-0, 3-6, 6-3 against Stevens to tie it at three-all.
The No. 54 Wichita State/No. 57 Denver dual-match ultimately came down to the winner of the Schiller/Slattery singles match. Schiller won 6-2, 7-5 to give the Shocks their eighth dual-match win in a row by the 4-3 score.
Shocker head women's tennis coach Colin Foster was proud of his team's effort.
“We had great effort tonight. We played much better in the doubles tonight and ultimately, that was the difference,” Foster said. “In singles, Pedrazzi played her best match of the semester which is very encouraging, Mahajaroenkul has stepped in the last two days and played well under pressure today, and Schiller competed very well.
“She had to really dig deep as she was down a set point in the second and is fighting a nagging injury. She found a way to get across the finish line and clinch the win. We'll have to take care of our bodies and be ready for another challenge tomorrow against Colorado.”
No. 54 Wichita State will look for the Colorado road trip sweep when they play Colorado in Boulder, Colo. at 11 a.m. Results will be posted following the completion of play.
-WICHITA STATE-
#54 Wichita State 4, #57 Denver 3
Singles Competition
1. Julia Schiller (WSUW) def. Maureen Slattery (DEN) 6-2, 7-5
2. Rebecca Pedrazzi (WSUW) def. Caroline Schnell (DEN) 6-1, 6-0
3. Sonja Radosevic (DEN) def. Lucia Kovalova (WSUW) 6-0, 6-3
4. Kathryn Hughes (DEN) def. Abby Stevens (WSUW) 6-0, 3-6, 6-3
5. Evy Van Genechten (DEN) def. Montse B. Fernandez (WSUW) 6-1, 6-3
6. S. Mahajaroenkul (WSUW) def. Charlotte Derbyshire (DEN) 6-4, 6-2
Doubles Competition
1. Sonja Radosevic/Kathryn Hughes (DEN) def. Lucia Kovalova/Veronika Blaskova (WSUW) 8-7(5)
2. Montse B. Fernandez/Rebecca Pedrazzi (WSUW) def. Michelle Garpenlov/Maureen Slattery (DEN) 8-5
3. Julia Schiller/Abby Stevens (WSUW) def. Caroline Schnell/Evy Van Genechten (DEN) 8-2
Match Notes:
Wichita State 8-2; National ranking #54
Denver 2-6; National ranking #57
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (3,2,5,6,4,1)
