April 5, 2013
TEMPE, Ariz. -
In a match up of two top-25 Pac-12 contenders, the No. 22 Arizona State Sun Devils (15-2; 5-1 Pac-12) women's tennis team fell to the No. 5 Trojans of USC on Friday afternoon by a score of 7-0 at the Whiteman Tennis Center in Tempe, Ariz.
"No doubt the better team won, that team played a lot better than we did today and they deserved to win," ASU Head Coach Sheila McInerney said. "I wouldn't be surprised if that team won the National Title; they're good, they're deep, they make you play, and they're everything you really want in a team."
The loss suffered at the hands of USC marked the first loss in Pac-12 play, the first loss at home in Tempe, Ariz., and just the second loss of the season -- the first coming in late January against Miami. The match up against the Trojans signified the opening of the back-half of conference play, undoubtedly the toughest five games of the season.
"In some ways it's sort of a wake up call for us -- when I say that I mean there is an obvious difference between USC and some of the other teams on our schedule," McInerney said.
After losing the doubles point, Arizona State was unable to secure any sets, leading to the eventual 7-0 shutout.
"They just played lights out, they didn't give us an inch or even budge at all. Could we have played better? Probably, but with anything you learn from it and get better for tomorrow," McInerney said.
The Sun Devils will continue conference play tomorrow afternoon against UCLA at noon in Tempe, Ariz. Follow thesundevils.com and Like Arizona State Women's Tennis on Facebook for all the latest details.
#5 USC 7 :: #22 Arizona State 0
Whiteman Tennis Center
Tempe, Arizona
4/5/13
1:30 p.m. PDT
DOUBLES
1. Nicole Smith/Jacqueline Cako (ASU) Danielle Lao/Sabrina Santamaria (USC) 6-5 DNF
2. Gabriella DeSimone/Zoe Scandalis def. Desirae Krawczyk/Leighann Sahagun (ASU) 8-6
3. Guiliana Olmos/Ellie Yates (USC) def. Ebony Panoho/Joanna Smith (ASU) 8-1
Order of Finish: 3, 2, 1
SINGLES
1. Sabrina Santamaria (USC) def. Jacqueline Cako (ASU) 6-3, 6-3
2. Danielle Lao (USC) def. Desirae Krawczyk (ASU) 6-0, 6-1
3. Zoe Scandalis (USC) def. Leighann Sahagun (ASU) 6-2, 6-1
4. Gabriella DeSimone (USC) def. Hannah James (ASU) 6-2, 6-1
5. Giuliana Olmos (USC) def. Joanna Smith (ASU) 6-1, 6-3
6. Ellie Yates (USC) def. Ebony Panoho (ASU) 6-3, 6-0
Order of Finish: 6, 5, 2, 1, 3, 4