PHOENIX, Ariz. – The Idaho State women's tennis team lost a close match against Grand Canyon University at the GCU Tennis Facility Tuesday afternoon. The Bengals started play by winning the doubles point, but were outlasted by GCU in singles play.
"We played great doubles," said Head Coach
Gretchen Maloney. "We were inconsistent in some of our singles today and it cost us."
Idaho State fell behind with a loss at No. 3 doubles, but was able to secure wins at the first and second positions.
Louise-Mare Botes and
Alexandra Arkhipov evened the series with a 6-3 win before
Hristina Cvetkovic and
Megan Poe completed the comeback with a 7-5 victory.
GCU quickly tied the match with a win at No. 2 singles. Poe put Idaho State back on top with a strong 6-1, 6-2 win at No. 6.
The Antelopes claimed the next two singles matches to pull ahead 3-2. Then,
Angela Walker defeated GCU's Ludovica Infantino 6-4, 6-4 to put the decision on the two No. 3 players.
Melissa Coburn battled, but lost two close sets 6-4, 7-5 as GCU took the win at home. The Bengals are now 6-7 overall.
Idaho State still has two road matches left this week. The team plays Northern Arizona at 2 p.m. Thursday before playing Sacramento State at noon on Saturday.
Grand Canyon 4, Idaho State 3
Singles competition
1. Occhipinti, Emilia (GCU) def. BOTES, Louise-Mare (ISU) 7-5, 6-2
2. Morel, Celia (GCU) def. CVETKOVIC, Hristina (ISU) 6-4, 6-1
3. Buhr, Celina (GCU) def. COBURN, Melissa (ISU) 6-4, 7-5
4. Lo Pumo, Martina (GCU) def. ARKHIPOV, Alexandra (ISU) 7-5, 6-3
5. WALKER, Angela (ISU) def. Infantino, Ludovica (GCU) 6-4, 6-4
6. POE, Megan (ISU) def. Prudhomme, Autum (GCU) 6-1, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. CVETKOVIC, Hristina/POE, Megan (ISU) def. Occhipinti, Emilia/Buhr, Celina (GCU) 7-5
2. BOTES, Louise-Mare/ARKHIPOV, Alexandra (ISU) def. Lirzin, Mathilde/Lo Pumo, Martina (GCU) 6-3
3. Morel, Celia/Prudhomme, Autum (GCU) def. FENSKE, Madison/COBURN, Melissa (ISU) 6-2
Match Notes:
Idaho State 6-7
Grand Canyon 5-7
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (2,6,1,4,5,3)
