March 16, 2007
LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Despite taking the doubles point from USC and playing tough in singles action, the No. 21 ASU Women's Tennis team fell 4-3 Friday afternoon to the No. 11 Women of Troy in Los Angeles. The ASU women are now 7-4 on the season with a match versus UCLA coming up tomorrow.
ASU came out strong in doubles with the sixth-ranked duo of Kady Pooler and Roxanne Clarke easily topping USC's Lindsey Nelson and Julie Smekodub 8-3. Their fellow Devils Jessica Leitch and Nadia Abdala securing the point with an 8-6 win over Anca Anastasiu and Dianne Matias to jump the Devils ahead 1-0.
The Women of Troy surged back in singles though taking the first three matches in the three, second and four spots before ASU came back to grab a win in the six spot as Laila Abdala beat Julie Smekodub 6-2, 6-4.
USC sealed it with a win in the No. 1 spot, but #115 Kady Pooler came back in the five-spot to top #91 Dianne Matias 7-5, 2-6, (10-8) as the Trojans just edged the Sun Devils 4-3.
The Sun Devils are now 7-4 overall as they gear up to take on No. 8 UCLA tomorrow in LA.
Results from No. 21 ASU vs. No. 11 USC
Doubles:
1) #6 Pooler/Clarke (ASU) def. Nelson/Smekodub (USC) - 8-3
(2) #37 DeVera/Fink (USC) def. Rankin/Labdala (ASU) - 8-6
(3) Leitch/Nabdala (ASU) def. Anastasiu/Matias (USC) - 8-6
ASU wins doubles point.
Order of finish: 1, 3, 2
Singles:
(1) #13 Lindsey Nelson (USC) def. #64 Sarah Fansler (USC) def. #45 Nadia Abdala (ASU) - 6-1, 6-2
(3) Amanda Fink (USC) def. Anca Anastasiu (USC) def. #122 Dianne Matias (USC) - 7-5, 2-6, (10-8)
(6) Julie Smekodub (USC) - 6-2, 6-4
Order of finish: 3, 2, 4, 6, 1*, 5