Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Arkansas
Rowe Lifts No. 12 Bulldogs Past Razorbacks, 4-3
2/9/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Feb. 9, 2008
FRESNO, Calif. - Tinesta Rowe always seems to find herself at the center of a big match. As a freshman, she vaulted the Bulldogs into the NCAA Sweet Sixteen with a clinching win at Cal. As a sophomore, time and again Rowe came through with important victories in singles and doubles. On Saturday, the junior from Jamaica won a three-set thriller, beating Arkansas' Mayori Franco in the tiebreaker of the final set to clinch No. 12 Fresno State's 4-3 victory over the Razorbacks.
"It was a really tough match," said head coach Simon Thibodeau. "Tinesta fought hard and never gave up. Her opponent was very stingy and the entire Arkansas team battled us to the end. But I am very proud of our team and I was pleased with our overall performance this weekend."
It was the final day of competition for the Bulldogs at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association National Team Indoor Championships. The Bulldogs lost to No. 3 Northwestern in the first round, beat No. 16 Clemson on Friday in consolation play and finished up with the victory over Arkansas on Saturday.
Fresno State won the doubles point to take a 1-0 advantage. No. 1-ranked Melanie Gloria and Rowe won their seventh-straight match with an 8-5 victory over No. 45 Airapetian and Franco. At the No. 2 spot in the lineup, 29th-ranked sophomores Renata Kucerkova and Anastasia Petukhova toppled No. 12 Kaluder and Miseviciute, 8-6.
"It was great that we won the doubles point in every match this weekend," Thibodeau said. "We're learning where we're at as a team and know where we need to get better."
The Razorbacks tied the score 1-1 when No. 1-ranked Aurelija Miseviciute beat Gloria in straight sets in singles. The Bulldogs took the lead on two occasions, after Kucerkova won at No. 3 and after Petukhova won at No. 2.
But Arkansas again tied the score and left the match in the hands of Rowe. Rowe won her fifth-straight match and her four-straight three-setter, improving to 14-3 overall on the year. Gloria and Rowe improved to 16-2 as a doubles tandem.
Kucerkova and Petukhova won their third-straight as a duo, improving to 18-5 overall.
The Bulldogs will now prepare for a date with No. 2 UCLA. The Bulldogs head to southern California to face the Bruins at 1:30 p.m. on Feb. 15.
NCAA Women's Tennis
ITA National Team Indoor Championships (Consolation)
Madison, Wis.
No. 12 Fresno State def. No. 39 Arkansas, 4-3
Doubles (Fresno State wins doubles point)
1) No. 1 Gloria/Rowe (FS) def. No. 45 Airapetian/Franco (UA), 8-5
2) No. 29 Kucerkova/Petukhova (FS) def. No. 12 Kaluder/Miseviciute (UA), 8-6
3) Bordeleau/Tigu (UA) def. Beatty/Heroux (FS), 8-2
Order of completion: N/A
Singles
1) No. 1 Aurelija Miseviciute (UA) def. No. 39 Melanie Gloria (FS), 6-2, 6-2
2) No. 11 Anastasia Petukhova (FS) def. Ela Kaluder (UA), 6-3, 6-3
3) No. 94 Renata Kucerkova (FS) def. Anouk Tigu (UA), 6-2, 6-2
4) *No. 43 Tinesta Rowe (FS) def. Mayori Franco (UA) 6-7 (8), 6-2, 7-6 (5)
5) Audrey Bordeleau (UA) def. Danon Beatty (FS), 6-3, 6-3
6) Delia Damaschin (UA) def. Vanessa Heroux (FS), 6-3, 6-2
Order of completion: 1, 3, 5, 2, 6, 4*
* clinched match
Records: Fresno State (2-1); Arkansas (4-3)
Players Mentioned
