Feb. 7, 2010
Final Stats
EL PASO, Texas -
The Illinois State women's tennis team finished the weekend with a 6-1 victory over Sam Houston State Sunday. The Redbirds stole the doubles point against Sam Houston with help from partners Julia Zubkova and Franziska Steinhardt and Aniko Kiss and Natalia Lech. The team also won five-out-of-six singles points at the Kelly & Ina May McAdams Tennis Center.
Keeping the same line-up throughout the whole weekend, head coach Chris Hoover continued to keep Kiss at the No. 1 position where she dropped a tough match against Giorgia Pozzan, 6-1, 6-3. Zubkova won against Sheridan Currie and took it to a tiebreaker at the No. 2 position, 6-4, 3-6, 1-0 (10-6). Lech defeated Tatyana Postnikova at the No. 3 position and also won in a tiebreaker, 7-6, 4-6, 1-0 (10-6). At the No. 4 position was Steinhardt where she competed against Nadia Dubyanskaya, who retired, leaving Steinhardt with the win, 6-2, 6-1. Ariane Maack played at the No. 5 position with Esker at the No. 6 position, both Redbirds won by default.
"We saw a lot of defaults today," said Hoover. "We were tired and worn out which made for an easy day. Julia played well and is starting out this season on the right foot. Aniko played hard but she's playing everyone's top player. Right now Hannah and Julia are our rock and we are counting on them for our team. Natalia won today which was great to see because she's been struggling a little bit."
Zubkova and Steinhardt continued their success at the No. 1 doubles position when they downed Sheridan Currie and Giorgia Pozza, 8-5. Lech and Kiss captured the No. 2 singles win over Tatyana Postnikova and Cally Woerner, 8-5, to secure the doubles point for the Redbirds. Hannah Esker and Carmen Peters were set to play at the No. 3 position but won by default.
"Overall, the student-athletes played well this weekend and we fought hard in the match-ups," said Hoover. "We got really ripped off yesterday by UTEP. I was never part of a match where the official cost us the match and I'm having a hard time swallowing that one. This weekend was much better than I anticipated and we gained a lot of experience."
The Illinois State women's tennis team resumes its schedule Feb. 13, in Milwaukee, Wis., when the Redbirds take on the Green Bay Phoenix.
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