Going the Distance: Roadrunners edge Bearkats in Thriller

 

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Holly Phillips played a part in two UTSA points, including winning the decisive singles match, as the No. 3 Roadrunners ousted No. 6 Sam Houston State, 4-3, on Friday at the HEB Tennis Center. UTSA advances into the semifinal round where it will meet the winner of the match between No. 2 Lamar and No. 7 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

 

After splitting the opening six points of the match, Phillips met Peta Taylor in the No. 3 matchup, and the duo helped cap off a thrilling run that saw three consecutive matches go the distance. Phillips dropped the first set in her match, the last to start between the two sides, and rallied back to take the next two sets 6-3, 6-1.

 

Irina Sotnikova nipped Karen Scida at No. 1 after also dropping the first set with a 4-6, 6-0, 6-3 victory as the Southland Player of the Year pulled the match even for Sam Houston State at 3-3. The No. 2 match also needed three sets as UTSA’s Nathalie Wallin edged Giorgia Pozzan 1-6, 6-3, 6-2.

 

UTSA won two of the three opening singles matches while Sam Houston State’s Eleonora Kuruc won at No. 5 for the Bearkats’ first singles win.

 

Sam Houston State won the doubles point after sweeping the No. 1 and No. 2 matches, leaving the No. 3 tussle unfinished.

 

UTSA enters Saturday’s Round of Four having split its matches against its two possible opponents. The Roadrunners lost a close, 4-3 result to Lamar and won handily against A&M-Corpus Christi, 6-1, on March 14.

 

 

Match One Results

No. 3 UTSA def. No. 6 Sam Houston State, 4-3

Apr 24, 2009 at Corpus Christi, Texas

 

Singles competition:

1. Irina Sotnikova (SHSU-W) def. Karen Scida (UTSA-W) 4-6, 6-0, 6-3

2. Nathalie Wallin (UTSA-W) def. Giorgia Pozzan (SHSU-W) 1-6, 6-3, 6-2

3. Holly Phillips (UTSA-W) def. Peta Taylor (SHSU-W) 3-6, 6-3, 6-1

4. Monika Drabkova (UTSA-W) def. Paty Manzur (SHSU-W) 6-1, 6-0

5. Eleonora Kuruc (SHSU-W) def. Caroline Dedering (UTSA-W) 6-2, 6-2

6. Micaela Silva (UTSA-W) def. Stasa Vujosevic (SHSU-W) 6-3, 6-4

 

Doubles competition:

1. Irina Sotnikova/Peta Taylor (SHSU-W) def. Micaela Silva/Karen Scida (UTSA-W) 8-5

2. Giorgia Pozzan/Paty Manzur (SHSU-W) def. Monika Drabkova/Caroline Dedering (UTSA-W) 8-1

3. Nathalie Wallin/Holly Phillips (UTSA-W) vs. Eleonora Kuruc/Stasa Vujosevic (SHSU-W) 5-7, unfinished

 

Match Notes:

Order of finish: Doubles (2,1); Singles (4,6,5,2,1,3)

T-3:37 

 

Post-match Quotes

UTSA Head Coach – Erin Boisclair

 

“I think we worked so hard over the past year that the long match will not affect us, we played a really tough match and are just looking forward to tomorrow.”

 

“We knew it was going to be a tough match going in, you have to give credit to Sam Houston.  It was great to pull that match out, I am so proud and them the way the just believed in themselves.”

 

UTSA Player – Senior Karen Scida

 

“I was really proud of everyone, you could feel the heart everybody played with out there and they all fought really hard.”

 

“It is going to be about resting well, eating well and just keeping our heads positive to get ready for tomorrow, we know we can do it, we just have to show it.”