Tennis: WVU Wins Close Match
March 14, 2010 09:52 PM | General
March 14, 2010
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University tennis team defeated California (Pa.) today in another close 4-3 match at the Ridgeview Racquet Club.
“This team is a legitimate contender for the Division ll national championship, and some of those top five teams are as good as most of the Division l teams we’re going to see,” says coach Marc Walters. “I’m proud of the girls and really happy with the result of today’s match.”
The Mountaineers (11-2, 4-0 BIG EAST) started off strong by capturing the doubles point. The No. 1 pair of senior Stephanie LaFortune and redshirt junior Monique Burton earned a 9-7 win over the Vulcans’ Nina Kowalski and Alina Stanila, followed by an 8-4 victory by the No. 2 pair of sophomore Veronica Cardenas and freshman Emily Mathis.
WVU was kept on edge in the singles competition as the two teams battled for the lead. Burton and Mathis captured wins in the No. 2 and 4 spots, respectively, while LaFortune and Cardenas were defeated in the No. 1 and 3 spots.
The match was tied at 3-3 after Pettersson lost in a 3-6, 3-6 match against Pondica. Junior Ashley Pilsbury pulled through under pressure again, as she defeated the Vulcans’ Galina Vishnikina, 6-4, 6-2, to secure the win for the Mountaineers.
“We’ll do well in any of our matches as long we stay competitive in the top of the lineup against solid teams like we did today,” concludes Walters.
WVU will continue action on Tuesday, March 16, as it plays host to Coastal Carolina in a 10 a.m. match at the Ridgeview Racquet Club.
