College Tennis News - No. 22 Texas falls to Pepperdine, 4-3

MALIBU, Calif. – No. 22 Texas (2-2) collected the doubles point and registered singles victories from sophomore Aeriel Ellis and junior Krista Damico, but Pepperdine (5-2) rallied for a 4-3 victory over the Longhorns Saturday afternoon at Ralphs-Straus Tennis Center.

Texas claimed the matches at first and third doubles to take the doubles point and assume a 1-0 lead. Senior Amanda Craddock and freshman Cierra Gaytan-Leach opened with an 8-5 win over Pepperdine’s Marie Zalameda and Arianna Colffer at the first slot. Pepperdine answered with a win at third doubles before UT’s Ellis and Damico put away the doubles point for Texas with an 8-5 win over Anamika Bhargava and Ale Granillo at second doubles.

Bhargava put the Waves on the board with a 6-3, 6-0 defeat of UT senior Maggie Mello at third singles before Damico answered with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Zalameda at second singles to give the Horns a 2-1 lead. But, the Waves responded with wins at the fifth, sixth and fourth singles positions to clinch the match.

Khunpak Issara dealt UT freshman Juliana Gajic a 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 defeat at fifth singles, and Pepperdine took a 3-2 lead when Andrea Oates held on for a 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 win over Texas freshman Elizabeth Begley at sixth singles. The Waves clinched the victory at fourth singles, where Granillo posted a 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4 win over Texas’ Craddock. After dropping the first set to Colffer at first singles, UT’s Ellis rallied to take the match by winning the next two sets, 6-4, 7-5.

Texas continues its weekend road swing on Sunday when it visits No. 17 USC. First serve is set for 2 p.m. Central at Marks Stadium.

Pepperdine 4, #22 Texas 3
Ralphs-Straus Tennis Center – Malibu, Calif.
Doubles – Order of Finish: 1, 3, 2
1 Craddock/Gaytan-Leach (UT) def. Marie Zalameda/Arianna Colffer (Pepperdine) – 8-5
2 #87 Ellis/Damico (UT) def. Anamika Bhargava/Ale Granillo (Pepperdine) – 8-5
3 Khunpak Issara/Andrea Oates (Pepperdine) def. Juliana Gajic/Caroline Larsson (UT) – 8-6

Singles – Order of Finish: 3, 2, 5, 6, 4, 1
1 #8 Aeriel Ellis (UT) def. Arianna Colffer (Pepperdine) – 4-6, 6-4, 7-5
2 Krista Damico (UT) def. Marie Zalameda (Pepperdine) – 6-4, 6-2
3 Anamika Bhargava (Pepperdine) def. Maggie Mello (UT) – 6-3, 6-0
4 Ale Granillo (Pepperdine) def. Amanda Craddock (UT) – 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4
5 Khunpak Issara (Pepperdine) def. Juliana Gajic (UT) – 4-6, 6-2, 6-1
6 Andrea Oates (Pepperdine) def. Elizabeth Begley (UT) – 6-2, 2-6, 6-3