Women's Tennis Fall to TCU 7-0

Saturday, April 12

Albuquerque, N.M.

TBA

University of Utah

TCU

4/12/2008 12:00 AM | Women's Tennis

April 12, 2008

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - The No. 54 University of Utah women's tennis team ended a tough weekend of conference play on a low note on Saturday after TCU swept the match 7-0. The Utes are now 4-3 in conference play as they prepare for their last conference match against No. 38 BYU. After this weekend, the Utes are 13-8 overall this season.

Although the Utes were unable to pull out a win in singles, Elizabeth Ferris and Emily Kwok played a big upset match in doubles play at the top spot. The Ute duo took on the 12th-ranked Macall Harkins and Anna Sydorska from TCU for a hard-fought and skilled win 8-5.

At the No. 3 spot, Maria Babanova and Nina Munch-Soegaard defeated Karine Bourdages and Leigh Walsh 8-3. Andrea Maughan and Erin Monson teamed up at the No. 2 spot to take on Katariina Tuohimaa and Idunn Hertzberg from TCU. The Ute duo was up 5-3 and holding strong when the Frogs turned up the heat to clinch the match 8-6. TCU earned the doubles point, leading 1-0 as they headed into singles play.

Unfortunately, the Utes' luck didn't change in singles play. At the No. 4 spot, TCU's Tuohimaa knocked down a 6-2, 6-2 win right out of the gates over Walsh from Utah's squad.

Monson looked to turn things around for the Utes at the No. 3 spot against No. 86 Sydorska from TCU. The Ute pushed herself in the first set, allowing the Horned Frog to slide by 7-5. In the second set, Monson couldn't quite hold the Frog back. Sydorska took the win 7-5, 6-1 to give the 24th-ranked TCU a 3-0 running lead.

At the No. 2 spot, Kwok stepped in to take on TCU's Harkins for a tough two sets. Kwok, who usually plays at the No. 3 spot for Utah, put up a good fight against the Frog, but came up short in the competition. Harkins earned a 6-3, 6-3 win over Kwok to clinch the win for TCU 4-0.

The match continued although the overall outcome had already been determined. At the top spot, No. 60 Ferris took on No. 63 Munch-Soegaard from the Frogs for straight sets. The Frog took the first set 6-3, but Ferris stepped up her game to try to win the second set. Munch-Soegaard and Ferris battled hard in the second set, but the Frog was the one that had the final say during the tie break. Munch-Soegaard took the match 6-3, 7-6(6).

At the No. 6 spot, Utah's Maughan was unable to keep up with TCU's Hertzber. The Frog slammed a 6-4, 6-2 win over the Ute to continue the Frogs' stride.

Finishing up on Saturday was Bourdages at the No. 5 spot. The Ute took control of the match in the beginning earning a 6-3 win in the first set and went 3-0 in the second set before TCU's Nichols found her bearings. The Frog came back to take the second set 6-3. Bourdages was looking to prevent a sweep by TCU, but couldn't hold the Frog back in the tie breaker. Nichols earned a 3-6, 6-3, 10-4 victory over Bourdages to give TCU a 7-0 sweep.

"We had some opportunities in doubles to come up and win the point, but we didn't consolidate," said head coach Mat Iandolo. "After a good team like TCU earns the doubles point, they go off and running. What we saw today was a great team playing at the height of their game."

# 24 TCU 7, # 54 Utah 0SINGLES1. #63 Nina Munch-Soegaard (TCU) def. #60 Elizabeth Ferris (Utah) 6-3, 7-6(6)2. Macall Harkins (TCU) def. Emily Kwok (Utah) 6-3, 6-33. #86 Anna Sydorska (TCU) def. Erin Monson (Utah) 7-5, 6-14. Katariina Tuohimaa (TCU) def. Leigh Walsh (Utah) 6-2, 6-25. Kewa Nichols (TCU) def. Karine Bourdages (Utah) 3-6, 6-3, 10-46. Idunn Hertzberg (TCU) def. Andrea Maughan (Utah) 6-4, 6-2Order of Finish: 4, 3, 2*, 1, 6, 5
DOUBLES1. Ferris/Kwok (Utah) def. #12 Harkins/Sydorska (TCU) 8-52. Hertzberg/Tuohimaa (TCU) def. Monson/Maughan (Utah) 8-63. Babanova/Munch-Soegaard (TCU) def. Bourdages/Walsh (Utah) 8-3Order of Finish: 3, 1, 2**Clinching point