By Shayne Dwyer, SDA Media Relations
TEMPE, Ariz.-In a match that saw an 18-16 tie break third set on court four, the No. 28 Arizona State University Sun Devils (9-2; Pac-12 0-0) women's tennis team defeated the University of San Diego Toreros on Sunday afternoon at the Whiteman Tennis Center in Tempe, Ariz.
ASU captured four singles points to go along with their one doubles point by the close of the afternoon. Junior Joanna Smith secured the match, with a commanding victory over Idil Haciraifoglu in two sets 6-2, 6-4 on the sixth court.
"I thought it was a good matchup today, a tough match, I give San Diego credit they played really well," ASU head Coach Sheila McInerney said. "Particularly at two and three singles I thought they competed really well against us...overall I think it was a good match for us."
On the doubles courts, Leighann Sahagun and Ebony Panoho downed Idil Haciraifoglu and Mikayla Morkey-Bring 8-1 on the third court to capture the first of two wins.
The second win was secured by the freshman-sophomore pairing of Kassidy Jump and Desirae Krawczyk on the first court. The No. 1 doubles matchup finished with ASU on top 8-2 -- signaling Stephanie Vlad and Joanna Smith on the number two court to cease play while up on their Torero opponents 7-4.
Singles play was a mixed-bag of results for ASU however. Sophomores Stephanie Vlad and Desirae Krawczyk powered through their opponents -- Vlad defeated Shani Blecher on the main stage 6-1, 6-2, while Krawczyk topped Stojanovic 6-3, 6-2 on the No. 2 court.
Joanna Smith followed with her success on the sixth court and Ebony Panoho quickly tacked on one match victory for Arizona State, playing strong in the first set winning 6-0 and playing even stronger in the second set hanging on to win 7-5.
Back on the northern side of the Whiteman Tennis Center however, the Sun Devils failed to capture the two remaining singles matches. Junior Leighann Sahagun was trumped by San Diego's Anna Depenau in two sets 6-2, 6-4 on the third court.
"The girl that Leighann (Sahagun) played, we've seen her a fair amount. Leighann (Sahagun) just didn't execute today, and it's something she needs to do better at moving forward," McInerney said.
And in a match for the record books, Kassidy Jump fell in a marathon competition that ended in an 18-16 tie break in lieu third set to Colomba DiFilippo of San Diego. Jump won 7-6 (2) in the first set, but ended up falling in the second, finishing 7-6 (2), 4-6, 1-0 (18-16).
"Even though Kassidy (Jump) lost, I thought she competed really well, it was a great match and good tennis," McInerney said. "And that's probably the longest one (tiebreak) we've had for sure."
The win over San Diego marks the conclusion of yet another two win weekend for ASU. The Sun Devils improved to nine wins on the season, but while McInerney sees another win from underneath the brim of her staple ASU visor, she know's the most difficult stretch of the season, Pac-12 conference play, is yet to come.
"I think our kids have to realize, you know we have played some tough teams, Pepperdine and UNLV on the road, Northwestern and Notre Dame, but our home schedule hasn't been super tough yet and we're sort of reminding the kids that it's going to start to get tougher," McInerney said.
Before the Sun Devils take on their first Pac-12 conference opponent on March 7, they still have some more non-conference work to be done. ASU will compete at home against against Western Michigan on March 2 at 11 a.m. MST on the courts of the Whiteman Tennis Center in Tempe, Ariz.
"I always use the analogy 'just keep your foot on the gas pedal,'" McInerney added.
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No. 28 Arizona State 5 :: University of San Diego 2
Whiteman Tennis Center
Tempe, Arizona
2/23/14
12:00 p.m. MST
DOUBLES
1. Kassidy Jump/Desirae Krawczyk (ASU) def. Shani Blecher/Marta Stojanovic (SD) 8-2
2. Stephanie Vlad/Joanna Smith (ASU) vs. Anna Depenau/Colomba DiFilippo (SD) DNF 7-4
3. Leighann Sahagun/Ebony Panoho (ASU) def. Idil Haciraifoglu/Mikayla Morkel-Brink (SD) 8-1
Order of Finish: 3, 1
SINGLES
1. Stephanie Vlad (ASU) def. Shani Blecher (SD) 6-1, 6-2
2. Desirae Krawczyk (ASU) def. Marta Stojanovic (SD) 6-3, 6-2
3. Anna Depenau (SD) def. Leighann Sahagun (ASU) 6-2, 6-4
4. Colomba DiFilippo (SD) def. Kassidy Jump (ASU) 7-6 (2), 4-6, 1-0 (18-16)
5. Ebony Panoho (ASU) def. Janine Koleta (SD) 6-0, 7-5
6. Joanna Smith (ASU) def. Idil Haciraifoglu (SD) 6-2, 6-4
Order of Finish: 1, 2, 6, 5, 3, 4