March 13, 2010
While the rest of campus may be on Spring Break, the Arizona State women's tennis team was hard at work on Saturday, taking on No. 13 Southern California in a nonconference match. The Sun Devils upset the Women of Troy, 4-3 to improve to 9-2 overall (3-0 Pac-10). This is the sixth straight win for the Sun Devils and the first time they have topped 26th year head coach Sheila McInerney's alma mater since February 24, 2002 when the Sun Devils won 4-3 in Los Angeles.
In doubles action, the No. 1 duo of Nadia Abdala and Micaela Hein got to work, defeating Maria Sanchez and Valeria Pulido 8-5. Freshman Nicole Smith and Sophomore Michelle Brycki put up a tough fight against USC's Sarah Fansler and Lyndsay Kinstler at the No. 3 spot, ultimately falling 8-6. The Women of Troy earned the doubles point when Allison Ramos and Danielle Lao defeated Arizona State's Ashlee Brown and Kelcy McKenna at the No. 2 position.
"It was a hard fought match," said McInerney. "The girls played well and competed great, especially after doubles. We had five three setters and won 3 out of 5 of those matches. We fought hard, the kids battled tough."
The Sun Devils picked up the intensity in singles, where five out of six matches went to three sets. Brycki was the first off the court with the win, defeating Sarah Fansler (6-1, 1-6, 6-0) at the No. 5 spot. Sianna Simmons finished shortly after with a win over USC's Lyndsay Linstler (6-2, 7-6), at the No. 6 spot.
Senior Abdala battled Allison Ramos at the No. 2 position, ultimately losing a tough three set match (1-6, 6-0, 3-6). Hein paired up against third-ranked Maria Sanchez at the No.1 position. Hein won the first set 6-2, before falling 2-6, 1-6 in the final two sets.
Sophomore Hannah James had a nail-bitter of a match at the No. 4 spot, overcoming Valeria Pulido after losing the first set. James's win put the Sun Devils and the Trojans tied at 3-all.
With it all coming down to the outcome on court three, junior All-American McKenna clinched the match for the Devils with a (7-5, 4-6, 6-4) win over the Trojan's Danielle Lao.
Coach McInerney said of McKenna, "Kelcy stepped up to the plate. She has clinched a number of matches for us over the years and it was good win for her. It was good for everybody."
Next up, the Sun Devils take on Louisville, Thursday, March 18th at 1:30pm, at the Whiteman Tennis Center.
Doubles:
1. Abdala/Hein (ASU) def. Sanchez/Pulido (USC) 8-5
2. Ramos/Lao (USC)def. Brown/McKenna (ASU) 9-7
3. Fansler/Kinstler (USC) def. Brycki/Smith (ASU) 8-6
Singles:
1.Maria Sanchez (USC) def. Micaela Hein (ASU) 2-6, 6-2, 6-1
2. Allison Ramos (USC) def. Nadia Abdala (ASU) 6-1, 0-6, 6-3
3. Kelcy McKenna (ASU) def. Danielle Lao (USC) 7-5, 4-6, 6-4
4. Hannah James (ASU) def. Valeria Pulido (USC) 3-6, 6-3, 7-6
5. Michelle Brycki (ASU) def. Sarah Fansler (USC) 6-1, 1-6, 6-0
6. Sianna Simmons (ASU) def. Lyndsay Kinstler (USC) 6-2, 7-6