Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Georgia Tech
Bulldogs Battle to the End
2/13/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Feb. 13, 2009
The first round of the ITA Team Indoor Championship in Madison, Wisc. lived up to all the expectations and the 13th-ranked Bulldogs battled the No. 7 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets to a dramatic 4-3 loss that came down to the last match.
"We battle hard and pushed it to the limit against a very disciplined and tough Georgia Tech team," Fresno State head coach Simon Thibodeau said.
Fresno State started the match off in resounding fashion by winning all three doubles matches.
The second-ranked doubles team in the country, the Bulldogs' Anastasia Petukhova and Renata Kucerkova, set the tone with an 8-3 victory over fifth-ranked Amanda McDowell and Irina Falconi.
Tinesta Rowe and Melanie Gloria followed suit by beating Christy Striplin and Noelle Hickey 8-5 and Laura Pola and Danon Beatty beat Sasha Krupina and Hillary Davis 8-6.
In singles competition, Petukhova and Kucerkova each secured victories against nationally-ranked opponents.
The 29th-ranked Petukhova impressively handled the 2008 NCAA singles champion McDowell (currently ranked 11th) in a 6-3, 6-0 victory. And the unranked Kucerkhova defeated No. 27 Christy Striplin 5-7, 6-4, 6-1.
"Thumbs up to Renata and Anastasia who beat tough opponents, especially AP who defeated the defending NCAA champion," Thibodeau said.
The next match for the Bulldogs will be tomorrow at 7 a.m. against No. 12 Clemson.
NCAA Women's Tennis
ITA National Team Indoor Championships First Round
February 13, 2009 - Madison, Wisc.
No. 7 Georgia Tech def. No. 13 Fresno State 4-3
Doubles
No. 2 Petukhova/Kucerkova def. No. 5 Falconi/McDowell 8-3
No. 23 Rowe/Gloria def. No. 46 Striplin/Hickey 8-5
Beatty/Pola def. Krupina/Davis 8-6
Order of Completion: 2, 1, 3
Singles
No. 23 Irina Falconi (GT) def. No. 17 Melanie Gloria 6-1, 6-3
No. 29 Anastasia Petukhova (FS) def. No. 11 Amanda McDowell (GT) 6-3, 6-0
Renata Kucerkova (FS) def. No. 27 Christy Striplin (GT) 5-7, 6-4, 6-1
No. 57 Noelle Hickey (GT) def. Tinesta Rowe (FS) 6-4, 6-3
Sasha Krupina (GT) def. Laura Pola (FS) 6-2, 3-6, 6-4
Viet Ha Ngo (GT) def. Danon Beatty (FS) 6-3, 6-1
Order of Completion: 1, 5, 2, 3, 4, 6*
"Join the State - Fresno State" -- The Fresno State women's tennis team is Madison, Wisc. this week as the 'Dogs compete in the ITA National Team Indoor Championships. The Bulldogs return home for a match next Thursday, Feb. 21 at 11 a.m. against the Saint Mary's Gaels. Follow the 'Dogs throughout the season on www.gobulldogs.com.
Players Mentioned
