College of Charleston
UMass
Women?s Tennis Drops Close 4-3 Match to Massachusetts
3/18/2015 11:56:00 PM | Women's Tennis
CHARLESTON, S.C. – College of Charleston women's tennis was unable to convert a late rally into a win as the Cougars dropped a tight 4-3 decision to Massachusetts on Wednesday afternoon at Patriots Point.
“We showed heart but UMass showed a lot more heart,” CofC Head Coach Angelo Anastopoulo said. “We've got to get a little tougher and get a little meaner.”
CofC (4-12, 0-1 CAA) won three matches in singles to come back from a 2-0 deficit to take the lead. Freshman Sarah Jane Jones started the rally with her third collegiate singles win at the No. 6 spot, defeating Brittany Collens 6-1, 6-5. Senior Samantha Maddox edged her opponent, Aarzoo Malik, 7-5, 7-6 for her first singles victory of the year as the Cougars' top seed and fourth singles win overall.
“Sam[antha] played well and I think she kept us in the match, giving us a 3-2 lead, but we quickly gave it away,” Anastopoulo said.
Senior Jenny Falcone, who is one half of the CAA Women's Tennis Doubles Team of the Week, picked up her eighth win of the year with a 6-2, 6-1 at No. 4 singles to give Charleston a 3-2 lead over the Minutewomen (8-4).
Freshman Ana Yrazusta, the Atlantic 10 Performer of the Week and ECAC New England Tennis Player of the Week, and Carol Benito both needed three sets to pull out the win on courts two and four respectively. Benito's 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 win over senior Grace Baker tied the teams at 3-3 and brought the decision down to junior Katherine Schofield Yrazusta on court two. After falling 6-2 in the first set, Schofield battled back to take the second set in a tiebreak. She remained close on Yazusta's heels throughout the third set but the Minutewoman escaped with a 6-4 win to capture both her singles match and the victory for UMass.
The Cougars won't have much time to recover as they continue Anastopoulo's self-proclaimed “hell week” of six home matches in six days. Up next is No. 29 Oklahoma who will be looking to rebound from losses to No. 54 Texas and No. 8 Baylor over the weekend. The Sooners hold onto an 11-4 record and are led by freshman Lily Miyazaki, who has an 11-2 mark at No. 1 singles.
CofC defeated Oklahoma 4-3 in 2012, when the two teams last met and the series is tied at 1-1.
“Oklahoma is here because we split our first two matches,” Anastopoulo said. “We won the last time they were here, 4-3. It will be difficult to duplicate that because we've got some injuries and things, but we'll certainly look forward to playing them and giving it our best.”
Fans can follow the action at Patriots Point, which begins at 2 pm, on Live Stats.
Singles:
1. Samantha Maddox (CofC) def. Aarzoo Malik (UMass) 7-5, 7-6
2.Ana Yrazusta (UMass) def. Katherine Schofield (CofC) 6-2, 6-7, 6-4
3. Jenny Falcone (CofC) def. Arielle Griffin (UMass) 6-2, 6-1
4. Carol Benito (Mass) def. Grace Baker (CofC) 4-6, 6-2, 6-1
5. Anna Woosley (Mass) def. Helena Nyikos (CofC) 3-6, 6-1, 6-3
6. Sarah Jane Jones (CofC) def. Brittany Collens (Mass) 6-1, 6-5
Order of Finish: 3, 5, 6, 1, 4, 2
Doubles:
1. Ana Yrazusta/Carol Benito (Mass) def. Jenny Falcone/Katherine Schofield (CofC) 6-1
2. Samantha Maddox/Brooke McAmis (CofC) vs. Arielle Griffin/Brittany Collens (Mass) 3-3, unf.
3. Chanel Glasper/Anna Woosley (Mass) def. Helena Nyikos/Grace Baker (CofC) 6-0
Order of Finish: 3, 1
Players Mentioned
