Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Sacramento State
No. 15 Bulldogs Beat Sacramento State, Remain Perfect at Home
4/1/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
April 1, 2007
FRESNO, Calif. - The 15th-ranked Fresno State women's tennis team remained perfect at home with a 5-2 win over in-state rival Sacramento State, Sunday afternoon at the Wathen Tennis Center. Sophomore Melanie Gloria clinched the match, defeating Katrina Zheltova 6-3, 6-2 at the No. 1 spot. Fresno State improved to 13-3 overall and 8-0 at home, while Sacramento State fell to 12-6.
The Bulldogs continued their recent success over the Hornets, a team which has been tough competition in past seasons. Last year, the `Dogs beat the Hornets during the regular season and then in the first round of NCAA tournament. On Sunday, Fresno State won all three doubles matches and four of six in singles to earn the victory.
"I was happy with the way we played in doubles," said head coach Simon Thibodeau. "It will be nice to have a little break, but we still have a lot to improve on."
Fresno State has now won the doubles point in its last nine matches, led by Gloria and sophomore Tinesta Rowe at the No. 1 spot. Gloria and Rowe won their eighth straight in an 8-2 defeat of Anastassia Lyssenko and Zheltova. Freshmen Renata Kucerkova and Anastasia Petukhova were solid as well, beating Karina Jarlkaganova and Aileen Tsan 8-2 at the No. 2 spot. Sophomore Danon Beatty and freshman Vanessa Heroux finished doubles with an 8-5 defeat of Luba Schifris and Joyce Martinez Gutierrez at the No. 3 position.
Kucerkova was the first to complete her match on court No. 2, blowing past Tsan 6-0, 6-0. Kucerkova has been on a role lately, winning 11 of her last 12.
Petukhova earned her sixth straight victory, defeating fellow Russian Anastassia Lyssenko 6-3, 6-3. She improved to 15-3 overall and 12-3 in dual matches.
Gloria has won 12 consecutive matches, improving to 28-4 overall and 14-1 in dual competition.
Rowe won for the third straight time in a super-tiebreaker, beating Schifris 5-7, 6-2, (10-7). Trailing 5-2 in the first set, Rowe rallied to even the score at 5-5. But Schifris eventually won 7-5 before Rowe took over in the second set to win 6-2. In the super-tiebreaker, Rowe trailed 2-0 before taking a 3-2 lead. Schifris tied the score on several occasions, but Rowe never relented and went on to win 10-7.
"Tinesta is really starting to hit well," Thibodeau said. "She played a tough opponent in Schifris, and I was glad to see her come back and win."
The Bulldogs will be back in action on Friday, April 13, when they host Santa Clara at 1:30 p.m. in the Wathen Tennis Center.
NCAA Women's Tennis
April 1, 2007
Wathen Tennis Center - Fresno, Calif.
No. 15 Fresno State def. No. 51 Sacramento State, 5-2
Doubles (Fresno State wins double point)
1) No. 41 Gloria/Rowe (FS) def. Lyssenko/Zheltova (SAC), 8-2
2) No. 50 Kucerkova/Petukhova (FS) def. Jarlkaganova/Tsan (SAC), 8-2
3) Beatty/Heroux (FS) def. Schifris/Martinez Gutierrez (SAC), 8-5
Order of completion: 2, 1, 3
Singles
1) No. 3 Melanie Gloria (FS) def. Katrina Zheltova (SAC), 6-3, 6-2
2) No. 71 Renata Kucerkova (FS) def. Aileen Tsan (SAC), 6-0, 6-0
3) No. 70 Anastasia Petukhova (FS) def. Anastassia Lyssenko (SAC), 6-3, 6-3
4) Tinesta Rowe (FS) def. Luba Schifris (SAC), 5-7, 6-2, (10-7)
5) Joyce Martinez Gutierrez (SAC) def. Danon Beatty (FS), 6-3, 2-6, 7-5
6) Cecilia Helland (SAC) def. Jacqueline Haskett (FS), 7-5, 6-0
Order of completion: 2, 3, 6, 1, 4, 5
Records: Fresno State (13-3); Sacramento State (12-6)
Players Mentioned
