Tennis: WVU Finishes Strong
February 07, 2010 07:23 PM | General
By Tiffany Doolittle for MSNsportsNET.com
February 7, 2010
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| Ashley Pilsbury |
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - The West Virginia University tennis team defeated Eastern Kentucky (2-4) today, in its second 4-3, win of the season in the Greg Adams Indoor Tennis Center.
The Colonels took the lead after capturing the point in the doubles competition winning two of the three matches in the No. 1 and 2 spots. The Mountaineers' No. 3 pair junior Ashley Pilsbury and freshman Liv Pettersson took the lone win in the doubles competition against EKU’s Alyze Pagal and Esmira Gheisary in an 8-3, match.
WVU came back in the singles competition, where it won matches in the No. 1, 2, 4 and 5 spots.
As the No. 2 singles competitor, redshirt junior Monique Burton won her first match in the No. 1 spot in a 6-1, 6-4, victory over EKU’s Myriem Mhirit.
“WVU played without Stephanie LaFortune, our No. 1 player in singles, to give her a day to rest,” says coach Marc Walters. “I am proud that our team stepped up and responded with three wins in top four spots.”
Sophomore Veronica Cardenas captured the win in the No. 2 spot in a third-set tiebreaker, while sophomore Kathryn Haught won 6-4, 6-1, in the No. 4 spot against Pagal. No. 3 freshman Emily Mathis played a tough match against the Colonel’s Jessica Albequerque, but was defeated 7-5, 6-0, to take the Mountaineers ahead to 3-2.
Pilsbury sealed the win for WVU after she came back in the second set to win 7-6, 7-5, over EKU’s Anais Hamel in the No. 5 spot. Pettersson fought to win the third-set tiebreaker against Gheisary, but was defeated 7-5, 2-6(6-3), to finish the day with a 4-3 win for the Mountaineers.
WVU concluded the weekend 1-2, finishing with an overall record of 4-2.
The Mountaineers continue action on Feb. 10, in Pittsburgh, Pa., as they take on Pitt at 4 p.m.
