Feb. 5, 2012

Tulane-UCF Results

NEW ORLEANS -The Tulane women's team faced its stiffest test of the young 2012 campaign today and the Green Wave overcame 80 degree temperatures and a four and half hour match to edge Conference USA rival UCF, 4-3, at the UCF Tennis Complex in Orlando, Fla.

With the win, Tulane improves to 5-0 on the year, while UCF drops to 2-5 overall with the loss. The Wave is currently off to its best start since the program was re-launched in 2008-09 and has the most wins to begin the season since the 2003-04 Tulane squad opened with a 9-0 start.

"I am very happy with the win and the fact we pulled out a 4-3 victory because last year these types of matches got away from us and we had five 4-3 losses," Tulane head coach Terri Sisk said. "Today was a very solid win for us. It's tough to go on the road and play a conference rival and UCF is a very good team. I believe this type of victory reiterates that we are heading in the right direction.

"Today's win was great for a number of reasons. First, I think it revealed the quality depth we have and I thought this close of a match really showed the fight in our team. I also think the match showed how hungry our players this season. They were glad to come away with a win in such warm conditions, but they were not satisfied and that attitude will certainly make us better."

Today, Tulane battled a hostile crowd and warm temperatures in its first true road test. The Green Wave opened the match with victories at each doubles position to secure the all-important doubles point and remain undefeated in doubles matches this season.

TU's tandem of senior Mariam Kurdadze and junior Emma Levy ran their record to 15-3 this season with their 8-2 win over UCF's Genevieve Lorbergs and Alexis Rodriguez at the top spot. The Wave then clinched the point when the junior combination of Caroline Thornton and Caroline Magnusson downed the Knights team of Jenna Doerfler and Courtney Griffith, 8-6, at the second doubles spot.

Tulane's duo of senior Lindsay Dvorak and junior Hila Elster improved to 10-0 together this season with their 9-8 (7-5) win at the No. 3 slot over Taylor Dubins and Andrea Yacaman.

Singles action proved to be as heated as the temperatures with four of the six positions were decided in three sets.

Levy gave Tulane a 2-0 lead when she topped Rodriguez, 6-0, 6-3, at the No. 2 position for her ninth straight singles win of the year. However, UCF got on the board when Lorbergs upended Kurdadze, 7-5, 6-3, at the top spot.

The Green Wave pulled to within one point of clinching the match when sophomore Jenny Hois out-fought Yacaman, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4, at the No. 5 slot. But the Knights refused to fade into the late morning and reeled off back-to-back wins at the No. 6 and No. 3 positions to draw even at 3-3.

Josephine Haraldson got past Dvorak at six, 7-5, 0-6, 6-3, while Doerfler handed Thornton a 6-3, 5-7, 6-2 setback at three.

The match ultimately came down to the No. 4 contest between Magnusson and Dubins. Magnusson claimed the first set 6-1, but dropped a 6-3 decision in the second set to force the third set where she claimed a 6-4 win to secure the Green Wave victory.

RESULTS
Doubles-
No. 1 Mariam Kurdadze/Emma Levy (TU) def. Genevieve Lorbergs/Alexis Rodriguez (UCF) 8-2
*No. 2 Caroline Thorton/Caroline Magnusson (TU) def. Jenna Doerfler/Courtney Griffith (UCF) 8-6
No. 3 Lindsay Dvorak/Hila Elster (TU) def. Taylor Dubins/Andrea Yacaman (UCF) 9-8 (7-5)
*Clinched doubles point

Singles-
No. 1 Genevieve Lorbergs (UCF) def. Mariam Kurdadze (TU), 7-5, 6-3
No. 2 Emma Levy (TU) def. Alexis Rodriguez (UCF) 6-0, 6-3
No. 3 Jenna Doerfler (UCF) def. Caroline Thornton (TU), 6-3, 5-7, 6-1
**No. 4 Caroline Magnusson (TU) def. Taylor Dubins (UCF), 6-1, 3-6, 6-4
No. 5 Jenny Hois (TU) def. Andrea Yacaman (UCF), 4-6, 7-5, 6-4
No. 6 Josephine Haraldson (UCF) def. Lindsay Dvorak (TU), 7-5, 0-6, 6-3
**Clinched match point

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