Jan. 28, 2006
Tempe, Ariz. - Overcoming a sluggish start in the doubles competition, the Arizona State Sun Devils women's tennis team won the first five singles points to clinch their match against the New Mexico Lobos on Saturday from the Whiteman Tennis Center in Tempe, Ariz. The Sun Devils were impressive in victory, winning five singles matches in straight sets, to improve to 9-0 all-time against the Lobos.
Returning to the Sun Devil lineup after an injury hiatus, sophomore Jessica Leitch (Dallas, Texas), along with doubles partner Wendy Pilecka (Pribram, Czech Republic) played a perfect match against the team of Nora Quintal and Jennifer Ryba in the No. 3 doubles spot, winning 8-0.
However, the Lobos shocked the Sun Devils in the other two matches, as Ola Abou-Zekry and Lucy Scott upset No. 34-ranked Sabrina Capannolo (Las Vegas, Nev.) and Rebecca Rankin (Surrey, England) by a score of 8-6. The No. 3-ranked pair of Iva Gersic and Maja Kovacek also defeated the Sun Devils' Kady Pooler (Laguna Niguel, Calif.) and Roxanne Clarke (Cape Town, South Africa), 8-5, to win the doubles point.
Singles held a different outcome for the Sun Devils, however. Playing in the No. 1 spot, No. 100 Sabrina Capannolo defeated Maja Kovacek from UNM (6-4, 6-4). Trailing early in the first set 3-2, Capannolo rallied to win three straight games and eventually the set, 6-4. Then trailing again in the second set, she rallied to win the final three games of the set and take the match.
Moving up to the second spot, Kady Pooler defeated UNM's Iva Gersic, 6-3, 6-2. Pooler played a very technically sound match, taking an early lead in both sets and never looking back. In the third spot, Roxanne Clarke took an early lead in the first set and never trailed in the second set, winning both 6-2, 6-2.
Freshman Laila Abdala continued at her torrid pace, playing in the number five spot, as she defeated New Mexico's Lucy Scott in commanding fashion. Jumping out to an early 3-0 lead in the first set, she finished it off 6-3 before running the table in the second set with an impressive 6-0 lead. New Mexico won its sole point in the singles competition in the number four spot, as Ola Abou-Zekry defeated Wendy Pilecka, 7-6 (4), 6-2.
The Sun Devils continue their streak of eight straight home matches to begin the season as they host the UC Davis Aggies on Sunday. The match begins at 10:00 a.m. MST from the Whiteman Tennis Center in Tempe.