Women's Tennis Off to Impressive Start at UTSA, WSU
9/24/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
SAN ANTONIO, Texas & PULLMAN, Wash. - The Gonzaga University women's tennis team opened its season in two different locations Friday. Bulldogs head coach D.J. Gurule sent seven student-athletes to San Antonio, Texas, to participate in the University of Texas - San Antonio Classic and six traveled to Pullman, Wash., to play in the Washington State University Cougar Classic.
In San Antonio, the Bulldogs won six of their seven doubles matches and won five of their seven singles matches.
The doubles teams of redshirt junior Prue Teitzel and senior Kristina Zauere and senior and Texas native Sophie Lantta and freshman Alexandra Tallas dominated the Doubles Flight 2 bracket. Both groups earned a pair of victories to set up an all-Gonzaga finals match.
Newcomers Kylie Peek and Katie Edwards made their collegiate debut together and although they lost the opening round 8-3 of the Doubles Flight 1 bracket, the two bounced back and posted an 8-3 victory in the back draw.
Sophomore Britta Stime paired up with Texas State University's Jessica Laing in the Doubles Flight 3 bracket and turned in an 8-4 victory.
The Bulldogs momentum also carried into singles.
In the Singles Flight 2 bracket, Edwards turned in a 7-5, 6-3 victory and Peek finished the day with a 6-2, 6-3 win. Despite dropping the first set 0-6, Tallas battled back and won the next two sets 6-2, 6-2 in her singles debut in the Singles Flight 4 bracket.
Gurule was pleased with the performances he saw from his freshman class.
"It is great for Kylie, Katie and Alexandra to get their first collegiate wins," Gurule said. "They were a little tight at first, but I thought they showed great poise and played within themselves."
On the other side of the Singles Flight 4, Lantta won her match 6-0, 6-1. Zauere, who is the only Zag competing in the Singles Flight 3, cruised to a 6-3, 6-0 victory.
In the Singles Flight 1, Teitzel dropped the first set 3-6 but won the second 6-4 to force a third. She was down 1-5 but managed to win the next four games to tie it 5-5 but could not complete the comeback as her opponent from Texas State won both the third set and the match 7-5.
Junior Britta Stime represented the Bulldogs in the Singles Flight 5 and posted a 6-4, 6-2 win.
Meanwhile in Pullman, senior Madeline Parker and sophomore Kelly Humphrey led Gonzaga's efforts in doubles play. They produced an 8-1 win in the Doubles Flight 1 main draw but dropped an 8-3 decision in the semifinals later in the day.
Despite losing the opening round of the Doubles Flight 2 main draw, sophomore Hanley Caras and newcomer Sandy Dennett rebounded and posted an 8-6 victory in the back draw.
After receiving a bye in the first round of the Singles Flight 1, junior Taurie Bjerken had a close battle in singles but managed to pull a 7-6, 6-4 victory in the second round of Singles Flight 1. Freshman Hailee Gopinath opened her career with a 6-2, 6-3 win but fell in the second round 6-1, 6-1 later in the day.
Parker received a bye in the first round of the Singles Flight 2 but dropped a 6-0, 6-1 decision in the second. She regained her focus and posted a 6-1, 6-3 victory in the back draw.
In the Singles Flight 3, sophomore Kelly Humphrey opened her singles season with a 6-1, 6-0 victory but was defeated 6-1, 6-0 in the second round. Freshman Sandy Dennett was also in the same as Humphrey. She lost the main draw opener 6-3, 6-4 but produced a 6-3, 6-4 in the back draw opener.
Freshman Hanley Caras was the only Bulldog representing the Singles Flight 4. She lost the opening round 6-1, 6-2.
Despite the struggles the Bulldogs had today, Gurule was pleased with his team's efforts.
"We had a little bit of nerves to begin the day, but everyone settled down and played well," Gurule said.
Both squads resume play Saturday.
