Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Northwestern
Bulldogs Tangle With Wildcats
5/15/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
May 15, 2009
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Headline: Bulldogs Tangle With Wildcats Teaser: Fresno State puts forth one of its strongest efforts of the year against No. 1 Northwestern on Friday in College Station, Texas, in a 4-0 Wildcat win.
No. 16 Fresno State knew its Sweet 16 matchup with No. 1 Northwestern would be one of the, if not the, toughest opponents of the year. The Bulldogs battled hard in every match, but the Wildcats came away with a 4-0 victory on Friday in College Station, Texas, to advance to the Elite Eight.
Nothing came easy all day, but the Bulldogs didn't back down, as they pushed the top-ranked team in the country for every point.
On the first singles court, 18th-ranked Melanie Gloria won the first set, 7-6, against the No. 1 singles player in the country, Maria Mosolova. The team match was clinched before either won a game in the second set, leaving the Gloria in the lead.
"She played with great courage all four years, and now she has the individual tournament to look forward to," head coach Simon Thibodeau said.
Northwestern secured an early 1-0 lead by winning two doubles matches, but those matches did not come without a fight from the Bulldogs.
No. 24 Lauren Lui and Georgia Rose narrowly upset No. 1 Anastasia Petukhova and Renata Kucerkova, 8-6, and Elena Chernyakova and Samantha Murray defeated Laura Pola and Danon Beatty, 8-4.
"I think they (the Bulldogs) are the toughest doubles point in the country," said Northwestern head coach Claire Pollard. "It's nerve-racking to play them. Their doubles was outstanding and we squeaked it out."
In singles, Fresno State was competitive in the remaining and three matches and ahead in two of the matches.
In addition to Gloria, No. 67 Kucerkova won the first set, 7-5, and was tied, 2-2, in the second set.
Pola, a freshman, was also still very much alive in her match against No. 117 Nazlie Ghazal, with the score 6-3, 5-3 when the match was called.
The `Dogs' effort in the match earned the praise of their opponents.
"I have nothing but great things to say about Fresno State," Pollard said. "I have great respect for them. I enjoy playing them, because it's a hard-fought match."
As a team, Fresno State ends its season with a 24-6 record and its fourth-straight Sweet 16 appearance.
"All four seniors on the team made it to the Sweet 16 all four years, and that's a great accomplishment for Fresno State," Thibodeau said. "For a small school like Fresno State, that doesn't have the budget of some of the schools here, to do that, I am very proud of them."
Northwestern advances to play No. 8 California on Sunday at 2 p.m. PT in College Station, Texas.
For four Bulldogs, their season is not over. Petukhova and Gloria will participate in the NCAA Singles Tournament and the top-ranked duo of Petukhova and Kucerkova and returning national finalists Gloria and Tinesta Rowe will compete in the NCAA Doubles Tournament. Both the singles and doubles tournaments will be held on May 20-25 in College Station, Texas.
NCAA WOMEN'S TENNIS
SWEET 16
May 15, 2009 - College Station, Texas
No. 1 Northwestern def. No. 16 Fresno State, 4-0
Doubles (Northwestern wins the doubles point)
1. No. 24 Lui/Rose (NU) def. No. 1 Petukhova/Kucerkova (Fresno State), 8-6
2. No. 29 Mosolova/Robison (NU) vs. No. 15 Gloria/Rowe (Fresno State), 7-5, DNF
3. Chernyakova/Murray (NU) def. Beatty/Pola (Fresno State), 8-4
Order of Completion: 3, 1
Singles
1. No. 1 Maria Mosolova (NU) vs. No. 18 Melanie Gloria (Fresno State), 6-7, DNF
2. No. 20 Georgia Rose (NU) def. No. 27 Anastasia Petukhova (Fresno State), 6-4, 6-3
3. No. 47 Samantha Murray (NU) vs. No. 67 Renata Kucerkova (Fresno State), 5-7, 2-2, DNF
4. No. 119 Lauren Lui (NU) def. Tinesta Rowe (Fresno State), 6-3, 6-1
5. No. 117 Nazlie Ghazal (NU) vs. Laura Pola (Fresno State), 6-3, 5-3, DNF
6. Keri Robison (NU) def. Bruna Paes (Fresno State), 6-2, 6-1
Order of Completion: 6, 2, 4*
Players Mentioned
