LOS ANGELES – No. 51 Wichita State blanked No. 69 Denver 4-0, Sunday in a battle of nationally-ranked women's tennis teams at the University of Southern California's Mark Stadium,
WSU bounced back from Saturday's 4-3, semifinal round loss to No. 27 Pepperdine to claim the consolation title in the four-team bracket – one of 16 preliminary sites around the country participating in the ITA Kickoff Weekend. Denver dropped to 0-2.
Host USC – ranked No. 14 - posted a 4-0 win over Pepperdine in Sunday's title game to punch a ticket to the ITA Indoor Nationals.
The Shockers' 3-1 start to the spring season includes a 2-1 record against nationally-ranked competition. They took down then-No. 54 Arkansas just over a week ago on the road.
WSU won two of its three doubles matches to stake an early lead. The No. 1 combo of Rebecca Pedrazzi and Lucia Kovalova posted a 6-4 win, and the No. 3 grouping of Aleksandra Trifunovic and Luca Pump improved their spring record to 4-0 with a 6-2 decision.
The Shockers depth came through yet again with three straight-set wins at Nos. 4, 5 and 6 to close out the overall victory.
Abby Stevens defeated Sonja Radosevic, 6-1, 6-2. Kovalova took care of Charlotte Derbyshire, 7-5, 6-0, and Trifunovic stayed perfect on the spring with a 6-2, 7-5 win.
Through four duals, WSU's No. 4-6 players have a 9-3 record. The Shockers are a combined 7-1 at the No. 5 and 6 spots.
Three other singles matches were unfinished. Gabriela Porubin was up 6-0, 5-5 when Trifunovic brought the dual to a close. Julia Schiller held a 1-0 lead in a deciding third set.
The Shockers return home Jan. 30 for matches against Missouri and Creighton at 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. at the Wichita Country Club. They're scheduled to face Denver again in just over a month in another neutral site match in Lincoln, Neb.
#51 Wichita State 4, #69 Denver 0
Jan. 25, 2015 – Marks Stadium (Los Angeles, Calif.)
DOUBLES
(1) Pedrazzi/Kovalova (WSU) def. Mboko/Radosevic (DU) – 6-4
(2) Slattery/O'Loughlin (DU) def. Schiller/Porubin (WSU) – 6-4
(3) Trifunovic/Pump (WSU) def. Genechten/Barnhill (DU) – 6-2
Order of finish: 3, 2, 1
Wichita State wins doubles point
SINGLES
(1) Julia Schiller (WSU) vs. Maureen Slattery (DU) – 2-6, 6-4, 1-0 susp.
(2) Rebecca Pedrazzi (WSU) vs. Gracia Mboko (DU) – 5-7, 2-3 susp.
(3) Gabriela Porubin (WSU) vs. Evy Van Genechten (DU) – 6-0, 5-5 susp.
(4) Abby Stevens (WSU) def. Sonja Radosevic (DU) – 6-1, 6-2
(5) Lucia Kovalova (WSU) def. Charlotte Derbyshire (DU) – 7-5, 6-0
(6) Aleksandra Trifunovic (WSU) def. Julia O'Loughlin (DU) – 6-2, 7-5*
Order of finish: 4, 5, 6*
