Tennis: WVU Prepares for Weekend at Southern Miss
March 19, 2009 01:55 PM | General
By Kelly Tuckwiller for MSNsportsNET.com
March 19, 2009
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - The West Virginia University tennis team is set to travel to Hattiesburg, Miss., for a three match weekend at Southern Miss. On Friday, March 20, WVU will face Troy in a 2 p.m. match, followed by a 2 p.m. match against Southern Miss on Saturday, March 21, and a 9 a.m. match against Lamar on Sunday, March 22.
The Mountaineers are now 7-11 overall this season after a 6-1 victory over New Orleans on Tuesday, March 18. WVU took five out of six singles matches, as well as the doubles point to clinch the win.
Junior Olga Elkin and freshman Veronica Cardenas captured two wins a piece on the day as Elkin defeated Ceara Howey 6-3, 7-6 (19-17) at the No. 3 spot, while Cardenas defeated Amber Garza 6-3, 6-2, at the No. 4 spot. The duo then posted their third straight doubles win, with an 8-1 victory over Pia Dozo-Moreno and Garza at the No. 3 spot
Troy State returns to action after missing the last four matches due to illness. In their last match on March 3, the Trojans defeated Jacksonville State in a 6-1 match. Rawia Elsisi led the team with a 2-0 record on the day as she defeated Viviane Marani, 7-6, 6-1, at the No. 1 spot. Elsisi also saw a win in doubles play as she and partner Leonie Guijt recorded an 8-3 win over Marani and Wenzel.
The Mountaineers and Trojans are tied 1-1 in the all time series record. WVU won the last meeting in 2005 in a 4-3 decision.
Southern Miss moved to 3-7 on the season with a 5-2 victory over Samford last weekend. The Golden Eagles clinched the match with wins at the No. 3, 4 and 5 positions, as well as taking the doubles point. Lauren Gutterman led the team with a win over Stephanie Parkison (6-4, 6-4) at the No. 3 spot, while she and partner Elja van Berlo defeated Taylor Morgan and Parkison, 8-5, in doubles play. This will mark the Mountaineers first ever meeting with the Golden Ealges.
Lamar holds a 5-4 record after falling to North Texas in a 4-3 decision. The Cardinals posted several tough matches on the day, with two of their three singles losses going into three sets. Mariaryeni Gutierrez led the team as she defeated Madura Ranganathan, 6-1, 6-4 at the No. 1 spot. The Mountaineers are looking for their first win against the Cardinals, after falling 2-4 in their first meeting in 2006.
