March 27, 2010
TEMPE, Ariz. -
By Deirdre Cienki
The No. 23-ranked Arizona State women's tennis team upset the No. 10-ranked California Golden Bears to improve to 12-3 (4-1 Pac-10). The match was won in great fashion, with Senior Nadia Abdala clinching the match for the Devils on Senior Day.
"It was a really incredibly competitive match on both sides," said 26th year head coach Sheila McInerney. "The doubles point itself was two hours long, and the match went five hours. I thought Cal competed great. After a tough loss yesterday, I thought our kids bounced back well. It was the last home match for our seniors and I think that meant a lot to them. It was terrific."
In doubles action, Cal's sixth ranked duo of Mari Andersson and Jana Juricova got the best of Nadia Abdala and Micaela Hein, defeating the No. 1 Sun Devil team 8-3. At the No. 3 spot, Michelle Brycki and Nicole Smith fought hard against Cal's Stephany Chang and Annie Goransson, defeating them 8-6. Tied at one match each, the doubles point came down to the pair of Ashlee Brown and Kelcy McKenna. The duo battled and ultimately defeated Cal's 79th ranked Tayler Davis and Kasia Siwosz 9-7 to give Arizona State the pivotal doubles point.
In singles action, Sianna Simmons got to work fast, defeating Chang 6-4, 6-4 at the No. 6 position. Hein tried to fend off second ranked Juricova, but ultimately fell 6-3, 6-4 at the No. 1 spot. McKenna was the next off the court with a tough loss to No. 50 Mari Andersson at the No. 2 position.
Brycki dropped her first set 4-6 to Cal's Davis before battling back to defeat the Cal Bear in three sets and giving the devils a 3-2 advantage. Michelle Brycki continues to be undefeated in dual match play this season.
The match came down to Abdala and Hannah James. Fitting for senior day, Nadia Abdala clinched the match for the Devils with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 victory over Kasia Siwosz at the No. 3 position. James dropped a tough three setter to Goransson 7-5, 5-7, 1-6.
The Sun Devils have the next weekend off before heading to Los Angeles to take on USC and UCLA.
Doubles:
1. Anderson/Juricova (CAL) def. Abdala/Hein (ASU) 8-3
2. Brown/McKenna (ASU) def. Davis/Siwosz (CAL) 9-7
3. Brycki/Smith (ASU) def. Chang/Goransson (CAL) 8-6
Order of Finish: 1, 3, 2
Singles:
1. Jana Juricova (CAL) def. Micaela Hein (ASU) 6-3, 6-4
2. Mari Anderson (CAL) def. Kelcy McKenna (ASU) 6-3, 7-5
3. Nadia Abdala (ASU) def. Kasia Siwosz (CAL) 6-3, 4-6, 6-3
4. Annie Goransson def. Hannah James (ASU) 5-7, 7-5, 6-1
5. Michelle Brycki (ASU) def. Tayler Davis (CAL) 4-6, 7-5, 6-2
6. Sianna Simmons (ASU) def. Stephany Chang(CAL) 6-4, 6-4
Order of Finish: 6, 1, 2, 5, 3*, 4 (*denotes clinched match)