Sunday, 02/08/2009

NEW ORLEANS - The University of New Orleans women's tennis team defeated Northwestern State 5-2 on Sunday afternoon at the University Tennis Center.

UNO (4-3) won for the fourth straight time, while improving to 3-2 against ITA Southwest Region competition against a NSU (1-1) team that entered play with a 4-3 victory over Tulane the day before.

The Privateer women started the match by doing what they have not done in a victory this season, lose the doubles' point.

Of the three doubles' matches, Cassandra Escobar and Kozue Matsumoto at No. 1 singles were the lone victors for UNO, coming out on top of Olga Bazhanova and Dragna Colic 8-6. The match on the No. 2 court was close as well, with Ceara Howey and Kir Kemp falling to to the Demons' duo of Kathrin Lange and Bianca Schulz 8-7.

Singles was a different story for the Privateers as the team picked up five of the six matches, winning each of the five in straight sets.

Three different players ran their winning streak to four matches as Kemp, Matsumoto and Ambera Garza all picked up victories. Kemp defeated Lange 6-3, 6-2 at No. 1 singles while Matsumoto won 6-2, 6-3 over Bazhanova. Garza rounded out the group with a 6-1, 6-3 over Colic.

The other winners were Escobar at No. 2 singles and Sofija Karalic at No. 6. Escobar won for the third straight time, defeating Adna Curokovic 7-6 (3), 6-4 while Karalic defeated Suncica Strkic 6-4, 6-2.

"The team worked very hard after losing the doubles' point and maintained a good focus on what they were doing during singles' play," said UNO assistant Pinyanart Engineer.

The Privateer women will face three-time defending Southland Conference regular season champion Southeastern Louisiana at the UTC on Wednesday at 2 p.m.

University of New Orleans 5, Northwestern State 2
Feb 08, 2009 at New Orleans, La. (University Tennis Center)

Singles competition
1. Kir Kemp (UNOW) def. Lange, Kathrin (NWLA) 6-3, 6-2
2. Cassandra Escobar (UNOW) def. Curukovic, Adna (NWLA) 7-6 (7-3), 6-4
3. Kozue Matsumoto (UNOW) def. Bazhanova, Olga (NWLA) 6-2, 6-3
4. Schulz, Bianca (NWLA) def. Ceara Howey (UNOW) 6-2, 6-2
5. Amber Garza (UNOW) def. Colic, Dragana (NWLA) 6-1, 6-3
6. Sofija Karalic (UNOW) def. Strkic, Suncica (NWLA) 6-4, 6-2

Doubles competition
1. Cassandra Escobar/Kozue Matsumoto (UNOW) def. Bazhanova, Olga/Colic, Dragana (NWLA) 8-6
2. Lange, Kathrin/Schulz, Bianca (NWLA) def. Kir Kemp/Ceara Howey (UNOW) 9-7
3. Curukovic, Adna/Strkic, Suncica (NWLA) def. Amber Garza/Pia Dozo-Moreno (UNOW) 8-3