Tennis: WVU Routs Liberty
February 01, 2008 11:46 PM | General
By Steve Stone for MSNsportsNET.com
February 1, 2008
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - The West Virginia University tennis team notched their second win of the season after defeating Liberty, 5-2, on Friday, Feb. 1, at the Ridgeview Racquet Club.
The Mountaineers (2-1) dominated in singles play by taking four of five matches, handing the Lady Flames (0-1) their first loss of the spring season.
Monica Lyskawa earned a solid win after defeating talented Ekaterina Kuznetsova of Liberty, 6-1, 6-3, in No. 2 singles. Lyskawa’s second victory of the season left WVU head coach Marc Walters impressed with her effort.
“I’m really happy with the way Monica played,” says Walters. “She applied what she did in practice and it has worked for her.”
Freshman Ashley Pilsbury earned two victories on the night after winning in both singles and doubles. Pilsbury and Monique Burton defeated Fick-Gouveio in No. 3 doubles, 8-6, to give the Mountaineers their only doubles victory. Pilsbury also beat Hannah Fick in No. 5 singles, 6-4, 6-3, in what proved to be the match-winning victory for WVU.
Colleen Speaker had another good performance after defeating Big South All Conference doubles performer Martyna Hanusz, 6-4, 6-1, in No. 4 singles.
Senior Natalia Prinz battled in the No. 3 singles match, defeating Stephanie Brown, 6-4, 6-3, to improve her record to 2-1 on the season.
Gabriela Blaskovicova earned a victory in the final match of the night, winning convincingly over Fabiana Gouveia, 6-2, 6-1, in No. 6 singles.
Co-captain Stacey Percival suffered the only Mountaineer defeat in singles competition, losing a hard-fought, three-set match to two-time United States Tennis Association champion Jordan Jenkins. But Walters believes her effort against a quality opponent gave a momentum boost to her teammates.
“The biggest thing for us was Stacey at No. 1 singles,” says Walters. “She gave us a lot of effort and played well against an opponent who has two USTA titles.”
WVU will resume its homestand against Eastern Michigan on Friday, Feb. 8, at 6 p.m. at the Ridgeview Racquet Club.
WVU 5, Liberty 2
Singles
1. Jordan Jenkins (LU) def. Stacey Percival (WVU) (5-7, 6-4, 6-1)
2. Monica Lyskawa (WVU) def. Ekaterina Kuznetsova (LU) (6-1, 6-3)
3. Natalia Prinz (WVU) def. Stephanie Brown (LU) (6-4, 6-3)
4. Colleen Speaker (WVU) def. Martyna Honusz (LU) (6-4, 6-1)
5. Ashley Pilsbury (WVU) def. Hannah Fick (LU) (6-4, 6-3)
6. Gabriela Blaskovicova (WVU) def. Fabiana Gouveia (LU) (6-2, 6-1)
Doubles
1. Jenkins-Kuznetsova (LU) def. Percival-Prinz (WVU) (8-2)
2. Brown-Honusz (LU) def. Speaker-LaFortune (WVU) (8-4)
3. Pilsbury-Burton (WVU) def. Fick-Gouveia (LU) (8-6)
