Feb. 8, 2002
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The Santa Clara University women's tennis team competed to the wire but dropped a narrow 4-3 decision to nationally-ranked Nevada Friday afternoon at the Santa Clara University Tennis Center.
The Broncos fall to 2-3 on the season and will face Cal State Fullerton noon Saturday at the Santa Clara Tennis Center. Nevada, rated 75th nationally in the latest college tennis rankings, improved to 2-2.
"Our players competed really well today but we just couldn't quite get the crucial points that we needed to win the match," said Santa Clara women's tennis coach Aby Ryan. "I felt that the match would be decided by the winner of the doubles point and that is exactly what it came down to. I think we are a fairly deep team, especially at the bottom of our lineup and that is where we had some success today. That will help us quite a bit down the road as we look to gain more competitive matchups are various positions."
Nevada earned the first point of the dual by virtue of winning two of the three doubles matches. The Wolf Pack duo of Tjasa Jezernik and Biljana Trpeska, ranked 50th nationally, jumped out to a 3-0 lead at the number one position, but held on for an 8-4 win. Santa Clara claimed its sole doubles win at the number two position with Nicole McCord Portland, Ore.) and Mariko Kawakami (Seattle, Wash.) earning an 8-5 victory over the team of Kodee Domingo and Vania Apodaca.
Freshman Janelle Kaloi (Honolulu, Hawai'i) earned her first victory as a Bronco with a 7-6 (6), 6-2 decision over regionally-ranked Nevada freshman Apodaca at the number two singles position. That win evened the score at three points apiece with just one singles match remaining.
Ana Bihler claimed a 7-5, 6-2 win over Santa Clara's McCord at the number four singles position to clinch the 4-3 dual match win for the Wolf Pack.
"Janelle's win was key and should set the tone for her to have a strong rest of the season," said Ryan. "Apodaca is one of the stronger players in our region and was a solid opponent. Janelle showed a lot of poise and was able to grind out the win."
Final Results
Nevada 4, Santa Clara 3
DOUBLES
1. Tjasa Jezernik / Biljana Trpeska (Nevada) def. Janalle Kaloi / Christine Limbers (SCU), 8-4
2. Nicole McCord / Mariko Kawakami (SCU) def. Kodee Domingo / Vania Apodaca (Nevada), 8-5
3. Cherie Pettersson / Ana Bihler (Nevada) def. Ashley Campbell / Jenny Siegel (SCU), 8-4
SINGLES
1. Jezernik (Nevada) def. Limbers (SCU), 6-3, 6-2
2. Kaloi (SCU) def. Apodaca (Nevada), 7-6 (6), 6-2
3. Trpeska (Nevada) def. Kawakami (SCU), 6-2, 6-3
4. Bihler (Nevada) def. McCord (SCU), 7-5, 6-3
5. Catherine Cochrane (SCU) def. Domingo (Nevada), 6-3, 6-1
6. Campbell (SCU) def. Pettersson (Nevada), 6-0, 6-0
Records: Nevada, 2-2, Santa Clara, 2-3