Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Thursday, April 16
Houston, Texas
12:00 PM
Middle Tennessee
4
vs
2
WKU
Netters take 4-2 win vs. WKU
4/16/2015 5:39:00 PM | Women's Tennis
MT improves to 19-4 with first-round win
HOUSTON – Middle Tennessee opened play in the C-USA Women's Tennis Championship in strong fashion as it eliminated WKU, 4-2, in first round action in Houston Thursday.
The fourth-seeded Blue Raiders (19-4) will face No. 5 seed FIU in the quarterfinals Friday at 2 p.m.
"I'm proud of the team and the way the players came out focused and took care of their business in the first round," Middle Tennessee Head Coach Shelley Godwin said. "It is always tough in these tournaments so it was a good start and we had some quality play all around."
Middle Tennessee secured the doubles point to take a 1-0 lead. Brittany Huxley and Nayara Moraes combined to defeat WKU's Tereza Hejlova and Elpida Malamou 8-5 at No. 2 doubles. The Blue Raiders clinched the doubles point when the tandem of Tiffany William and Darya Schulzhanok defeated Andrea Christopoulou and Emilia Granstrom, 8-7.
Huxley continued her strong day with an impressive 6-0, 7-5 win against Malamou at No. 4 singles to stake the Blue Raiders to a 2-0 lead, but WKU finally got on the board when Tereza Hejlova turned back Middle Tennessee's Wlliam, 6-4, 6-3, at No. 1 singles to cut the deficit to 2-1.
Shulzhanok improved to 16-3 and put Middle Tennessee on top 3-1 when she disposed of Emilia Granstrom in a hard-fought three-set match. Shulzhanok took the opening set, 6-2, dropped the second set 6-1 but bounced back to claim the victory with a 6-3 score in the decisive third set.
WKU(6-10) wouldn't go down quietly. The 13th seeded Hilltoppers pulled to within 3-2 when Andrea Christopoulou came from behind to defeat Jesse Grace in a three-set match at No. 3 singles. It was one of the more competitive matches of the day. Grace won the opening set 7-5, but lost the next two sets 6-3, 6-4.
The Blue Raiders clinched the victory when Sarah Sediri defeated Madeline Phillips, 6-0, 6-2 at No. 6 singles. Nayara Moraes was winning her singles match at No. 5 but it was unfinished after Middle Tennessee clinched the victory.
2015 C-USA Women's Tennis Championship
MT 4, WKU 2
Singles competition
1. Tereza Hejlova (WKU) def. Tiffany William (MT) 6-4, 6-3
2. Darya Shulzhanok (MT) def. Emilia Granstrom (WKU) 6-2, 1-6, 6-3
3. Andrea Christopoulou (WKU) def. Jesse Grace (MT) 5-7, 6-3, 6-4
4. Brittany Huxley (MT) def. Elpida Malamou (WKU) 6-0, 7-5
5. Nayara Moraes (MT) vs. Gabby Crofford (WKU) 6-1, 5-3, unfinished
6. Sarah Sediri (MT) def. Madeline Phillips (WKU) 6-0, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. William/Shulzhanok (MT) def. Christopoulou/Granstrom (WKU) 8-7
2. Huxley, Moraes (MT) def. Hejlova/Malamou (WKU) 8-5
3. Sediri/Grace (MT) vs. Crofford/Phillips (WKU) unfinished
The fourth-seeded Blue Raiders (19-4) will face No. 5 seed FIU in the quarterfinals Friday at 2 p.m.
"I'm proud of the team and the way the players came out focused and took care of their business in the first round," Middle Tennessee Head Coach Shelley Godwin said. "It is always tough in these tournaments so it was a good start and we had some quality play all around."
Middle Tennessee secured the doubles point to take a 1-0 lead. Brittany Huxley and Nayara Moraes combined to defeat WKU's Tereza Hejlova and Elpida Malamou 8-5 at No. 2 doubles. The Blue Raiders clinched the doubles point when the tandem of Tiffany William and Darya Schulzhanok defeated Andrea Christopoulou and Emilia Granstrom, 8-7.
Huxley continued her strong day with an impressive 6-0, 7-5 win against Malamou at No. 4 singles to stake the Blue Raiders to a 2-0 lead, but WKU finally got on the board when Tereza Hejlova turned back Middle Tennessee's Wlliam, 6-4, 6-3, at No. 1 singles to cut the deficit to 2-1.
Shulzhanok improved to 16-3 and put Middle Tennessee on top 3-1 when she disposed of Emilia Granstrom in a hard-fought three-set match. Shulzhanok took the opening set, 6-2, dropped the second set 6-1 but bounced back to claim the victory with a 6-3 score in the decisive third set.
WKU(6-10) wouldn't go down quietly. The 13th seeded Hilltoppers pulled to within 3-2 when Andrea Christopoulou came from behind to defeat Jesse Grace in a three-set match at No. 3 singles. It was one of the more competitive matches of the day. Grace won the opening set 7-5, but lost the next two sets 6-3, 6-4.
The Blue Raiders clinched the victory when Sarah Sediri defeated Madeline Phillips, 6-0, 6-2 at No. 6 singles. Nayara Moraes was winning her singles match at No. 5 but it was unfinished after Middle Tennessee clinched the victory.
2015 C-USA Women's Tennis Championship
MT 4, WKU 2
Singles competition
1. Tereza Hejlova (WKU) def. Tiffany William (MT) 6-4, 6-3
2. Darya Shulzhanok (MT) def. Emilia Granstrom (WKU) 6-2, 1-6, 6-3
3. Andrea Christopoulou (WKU) def. Jesse Grace (MT) 5-7, 6-3, 6-4
4. Brittany Huxley (MT) def. Elpida Malamou (WKU) 6-0, 7-5
5. Nayara Moraes (MT) vs. Gabby Crofford (WKU) 6-1, 5-3, unfinished
6. Sarah Sediri (MT) def. Madeline Phillips (WKU) 6-0, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. William/Shulzhanok (MT) def. Christopoulou/Granstrom (WKU) 8-7
2. Huxley, Moraes (MT) def. Hejlova/Malamou (WKU) 8-5
3. Sediri/Grace (MT) vs. Crofford/Phillips (WKU) unfinished
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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