Women's Tennis Downs Marshall 4-3
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Jan. 31, 2004
CHARLOTTESVILLE – The No. 31 ranked Virginia women’s tennis team rallied for a 4-3 win over No. 71 Marshall Saturday at the Boar’s Head Sports Club. The win was the Cavaliers’ first over a ranked opponent this season as they improved their record to 3-1 on the season.
Marshall took an early 1-0 by taking the doubles point with wins at No. 1 and No. 3. The lone Cavalier doubles win came at No. 2 where Kristen James (Clifton, Va.) and Shannon Stough (Hot Springs, Ark.) posted the win.
The Thundering Herd (0-2) extended its lead to 2-0 as Jessica Johnson downed Mariko Fritz-Krockow (Fairfax, Va.) at No. 1 in a battle of two top-75 ranked players. Virginia rallied by taking the next three matches completed as Marta Bechliwanis (Etobicoke, Ont.) won at No. 5, Lauren Bruch (Lake Forest, Ill.) at No. 2, and James at No. 3. Marshall tied the match with a victory at No. 6, making the No. 4 match the deciding match. The Herd’s Ashley Kroh had won the first set from Dora Bechliwanis (Etobicoke, Ont.) and was serving at 5-4 in the second set for the win. Bechliwanis fought off a match point in that game and rallied to win the second set in a tie-breaker. She then won the third set 6-3 to clinch the Cavalier win.
“I am so pleased with the effort and heart we showed today,” said Virginia head coach Phil Rogers. “Today was a five-hour match between two quality teams and every point mattered. Dora came up big at the end. She put every ounce of energy and ounce of mental toughness into the match and that’s what it took to win.”
Virginia travels to Old Dominion on Friday before returning home Sunday to host Brown at the Boar’s Head Sports Club.
No. 31 Virginia 4, No. 71 Marshall 3
Singles:
1. No. 62 Jessica Johnson (MU) def. No. 74 Mariko Fritz-Krockow (UVa) 6-2, 6-3
2. Lauren Bruch (UVa) def. Lille Nzudie (MU) 6-2, 6-3
3. Kristen James (UVa) def. Alice Sukner (MU) 7-6, 6-3
4. Dora Bechliwanis (UVa) def. Ashley Kroh (MU) 4-6, 7-6, 6-3
5. Marta Bechliwanis (UVa) def. Danielle Hock (MU) 6-2, 6-2
6. Joelle Good (MU) def. Caroline Hammond (UVa) 4-6, 6-4, 6-2
Doubles:
1. No. 14 Kroh/Johnson (MU) def. No. 38 Fritz-Krockow/Bruch (UVa) 8-5
2. K. James/Stough (UVa) def. Sukner/Nzudie (MU) 8-5
3. Hock/Skalsky (MU) def. D. Bechliwanis/Hammond (UVa) 8-4