University of South Florida
@ New Mexico
Bulls Fall, 4-3, at New Mexico
January 24, 2009 | Women's Tennis
TAMPA- The University of South Florida women's tennis team battled but couldn't come away with their first win of the year in their opening dual match of the season as the Bulls fell 4-3 to New Mexico Saturday afternoon at the Randy Briggs Indoor Tennis Bubble in Albuquerque, N.M.
With the loss, the Bulls fall to 0-1 on the season.
The Bulls couldn't capture the doubles point as only Lauren Shumate and Allyn Mueller could win their doubles match. The duo of juniors took care of Anya Villanueva-Forte and Ashley Bonner, 8-4, to claim the Bulls only doubles win.
In the other doubles matches, Jessica Sweeting Natalia Guevara fell to Mackenzie White and Emma Hayman, after battling back to force a tie breaker, but fell 6-3 in the tie breaker. Junior Jessica Zok and senior Iciri Rai dropped a tough one, 9-8 to Maria Sotirchos and Ola Abou-Zekry.
By dropping the doubles point, USF went into the singles matches needing four to clinch the dual but could only manage a split.
In the No.2 position, No. 102 Sweeting couldn't overcome White as she dropped 6-3, 6-0 sets in the No. 2 position and Rai fell to Hayman, 6-3, 6-4 in the third spot..
Mueller lost a hard fought battle to Sotirchos 6-2, 7-5, Guevara conquered Manumea Durie, 6-4, 6-4, and Shumate defeated Bonner 6-1, 6-1 to account for the Bulls three singles victories.
The Bulls won't have to wait long to redeem themselves as they will be back in action tomorrow at 9 a.m. in Albuquerque against Colorado.
