Tennis: WVU Grinds Out Win Against Bearcats
March 16, 2008 04:42 PM | General
By Steve Stone for MSNsportsNET.com
March 16, 2008
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - The West Virginia University tennis team won its second straight BIG EAST match after defeating Cincinnati, 4-3, on Sunday, March 16, at the Ridgeview Racquet Club.
The Mountaineers (8-4, 2-1 BIG EAST) earned a hard-fought victory over the Bearcats in a contest that featured four three-set singles matches. The win also caps a perfect weekend for WVU as it defeated Seton Hall on Friday, 4-3.
Senior Stacey Percival scored a key victory for WVU at No. 1 singles after defeating Alizee Paradis of Cincinnati, 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (10-8). In what proved to be the most exciting match of the day, Percival saved seven match points and continued to stave off elimination after using her return game to tie the score and eventually take the lead in the third-set tiebreaker. Leading 9-8 and serving for match point, Percival earned the victory by scoring on a serve that was originally called out but was overruled by the official.
Percival also paired with fellow senior Natalia Prinz to defeat Paradis-Rowen at No.1 doubles, 8-1. Prinz earned her second victory of the day with a come-from-behind win against Elizabeth Young at No. 3 singles, 7-6 (6-3), 5-7, 6-3. Prinz fell behind 5-3 in the first set but rebounded to give WVU its third point of the day.
Stephanie LaFortune was the third Mountaineer to win twice as she teamed with Monica Lyskawa to beat Dandik-Young, 8-6, at No. 2 doubles. The victory clinched the doubles point for WVU, who swept the field after receiving another win from Ashley Pilsbury and Monique Burton, 8-3, at No. 3 doubles.
LaFortune delivered in the clinching match as she put away Abigal Mayo at No. 6 singles, 6-4, 6-3, to give WVU an important conference victory. The Longueuil, Quebec, native achieved a perfect 4-0 record this weekend by winning two singles and doubles matches apiece.
WVU Head Coach Marc Walters was pleased with his team’s effort after putting forth a solid weekend highlighted by two conference victories.
“Our girls really showed a lot of fight today, especially with four of the six singles matches going to three sets,” says Walters. “Winning back-to-back matches at 4-3 was very important for us. Cincinnati deserves a lot of credit; they came out and fought hard.”
WVU faces California-Pennsylvania in its next match on Thursday, March 20, at noon at the Ridgeview Racquet Club in Morgantown.
WVU-4, Cincinnati-3
Singles
1. Stacey Percival (WVU) def. Alizee Paradis (UC), 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (10-8
2. Jenn Keiner (UC) def. Monica Lyskawa (WVU), 6-4, 6-3
3. Natalia Prinz (WVU) def. Elizabeth Young (UC), 7-6 (6-3), 5-7, 6-3
4. Val Dandrik (UC) def. Colleen Speaker (WVU), 6-1, 6-7 (3-6), 6-2
5. Jenny Rowen (UC) def. Ashley Pilsbury (WVU), 4-6, 7-5, 6-3
6. Stephanie LaFortune (WVU) def. Abigal Mayo (UC), 6-4, 6-3
Doubles
1. Percival/Prinz (WVU) def. Paradis/Rowen (UC), 8-1
2. LaFortune/Lyskawa (WVU) def. Dandrik/Young (UC), 8-6
3. Pilsbury/Burton (WVU) def. Keiner/Mayo (UC), 8-3
