Box Score | Final Stats
POCATELLO, Idaho - Idaho State (0-2, 0-1 BSC) swept the top three singles spots but was overcome 4-3 at Reed Gym in a heart breaker loss to Eastern Washington (5-4, 1-0 BSC) to open conference play.
Laura Porras improved to a 2-1 singles record with a win at the No. 3 spot while
Katharina Marsela and
Rilee Moorhead posted their first victories of the season at the No. 1 and 2 positions.
"It came down to the doubles point," said Head Coach
Bobby Goeltz. "We came from behind at one and was in the contest and we had match point at two."
Juniors Marsela and Porras were behind a break for most of the set until Marsela held service to tie the contest at 6-6. In the tiebreaker, ISU broke the serve of sophomore Chelsea Patton to tie the score at 5-5. The Bengals advanced to 6-5 and were on serve when Porras smashed an overhead to give ISU match point. However, two unforced errors would cost the Bengals the contest falling 8-7 (8-6) to Patton and Caitlin Bampton at the No. 2 spot. The match was sent into a tiebreaker as the doubles point was already decided.
Moorhead and Fujiwara were down 4-1 against Nefeli Diamanti and Judy Liening at the No. 1 spot before they found their rhythm improving to being down 6-7 with a chance to tie. Their effort would be too late as the Eagles closed out the contest 8-6. Freshmen
Laura Severino and
Zamira Vasquez fell 8-2 to Helon Ricks and Rocio Norena at the No. 3 spot.
Eastern Washington took a 2-0 lead when Fujiwara fell 6-4, 6-2 to Patton at the No. 4 spot but Idaho State would fight back winning the next three matches to take a 3-2 lead. Moorhead was the first Bengals win of the day when she made quick work of opponent Bampton 6-2, 6-4 at the No. 2 spot. Marsela, Idaho State's No. 1 position dropped Liening 6-1 in the first set. Liening went on to take a 4-1 lead in the second but Marsela reduced her unforced errors and took the second set 7-5.
Porras, a junior, rounded out the top three position wins for the Bengals by defeating Ryann Warner 7-5, 6-2 at the No. 3 position. Eastern Washington's Diamanti pushed the contest to a 3-3 tie by overcoming Vasquez who competed in her first match of the season.
Freshman Severino became the deciding match and things were looking up for Idaho State when she took the first set 6-3 and held a 1-0 lead in the second. However, Severino's service was broken and Eagle Ricks held her service to take a 2-1 lead. The contest continued to go back and forth until a 4-all tie was held and Severino was up 40-15 looking to close out the game when Ricks hit her high point. She would close out the game and take the next eight to win the match.
The Bengals will have nearly a month to prepare for their next contest where they play at Southern Utah on Monday, March 21 at 1 p.m. The contest against SUU will mark the start of five straight days of competition where the Bengals will play six dual matches.
Tennis Match Results
Eastern Washington vs Idaho State
Feb 19, 2011 at Pocatello, Idaho
(Reed Gym - Indoors)
Eastern Washington 4, Idaho State 3
Singles competition
1. MARSELA,Katharina (ISU) def. LIENING, Judy (EWU) 6-1, 7-5
2. MOORHEAD,Rilee (ISU) def. BAMPTON, Caitlin (EWU) 6-2, 6-4
3. PORRAS,Laura (ISU) def. WARNER, Ryann (EWU) 7-5, 6-2
4. PATTON, Chelsea (EWU) def. FUJIWARA,Risa (ISU) 6-4, 6-2
5. RICKS, Helon (EWU) def. SEVERINO,Laura (ISU) 3-6, 6-4, 6-0
6. DIAMANTI, Nefeli (EWU) def. VASQUEZ,Zamira (ISU) 6-3, 6-3
Doubles competition
1. DIAMANTI, Nefeli/LIENING, Judy (EWU) def. MOORHEAD,Rilee/FUJIWARA,Risa (ISU) 8-6
2. PATTON, Chelsea/BAMPTON, Caitlin (EWU) def. MARSELA,Katharina/PORRAS,Laura (ISU) 8-7 (8-6)
3. RICKS, Helon/NORENA, Rocio (EWU) def. VASQUEZ,Zamira/SEVERINO,Laura (ISU) 8-2
Match Notes:
Eastern Washington 5-4, 1-0 BSC
Idaho State 0-3, 0-1 BSC
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (4,2,1,3,6,5)
Official: Gene Galloway T-4:55 A-35
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