April 21, 2007
MALIBU, Calif. - The Santa Clara University women's tennis team bounced back from a loss Friday with a big 4-2 win over the sixth-seeded Portland Pilots on Saturday afternoon. Casey Knutson and Erika Barnes got the day started with an 8-0 win at No. 1 doubles and the Broncos earned the doubles point. In singles, the team's three seniors, Knutson, Barnes and Kim Daniel all earned wins to give SCU the four points necessary for the victory.
As they have all season, Barnes and Knutson had a great match at No. 1 doubles, defeating Megan Sporndli and Jenna Tanzer 8-0 to get SCU out to a 1-0 lead in doubles. The win was the 16th of the season for the pair, tying them for the all-time record for doubles wins in one season. Myra Davoudi and Stephanie Galainena then secured the doubles point with an 8-3 win at No. 3. Davoudi and Galainena were tied at 3-3 and then swept the final five games to win the match.
The Broncos three seniors then took charge in the singles matches after a slow start. Davoudi and Galainena fell at No. 3 and No. 2 to allow the Pilots to take a 2-1 lead, but SCU was not done yet.
Knutson took out Christina Feyen at No. 1, 6-2, 6-4, to even the match at two points apiece. Barnes then beat Audree Jenks in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3, to put SCU one win away from victory. Daniel would get that final point with a straight sets win of her own. She defeated Tanzer 6-2, 6-3 at No. 4 for the clinching point. Daniel was down 3-1 in the second set before reeling off five straight games for the match win.
The win by Santa Clara avenges a 5-2 loss to the Pilots on March 24 at the Degheri Tennis Center. The Broncos now play in the fifth place match against Bay Area rival San Francisco on Sunday, April 22 at 12 noon. The Broncos and Dons split two matches this season by identical 4-3 scores.
No. 7 Santa Clara def. No. 6 Portland 4-2
Doubles: (Order of finish 1, 3, 2)
1. Casey Knutson/Erika Barnes (SCU) def. Megan Sporndli/Jenna Tanzer (POR) 8-0
2. Audree Jenks/Lindsey Griffin (POR) def. Kim Daniel/Lindsay McBride (SCU) 8-1
3. Myra Davoudi/Stephanie Galainena (SCU) def. Christina Feyen/Katie Kennel (POR) 8-3
Singles: (Order of finish 3,2,1,6,4)
1. Casey Knutson (SCU) def. Christina Feyen (POR) 6-2, 6-4
2. Megan Sporndli (POR) def. Stephanie Galainena (SCU) 6-3, 6-3
3. Lindsey Griffin (POR) def. Myra Davoudi (SCU) 6-2, 6-2
4. Kim Daniel (SCU) def. Jenna Tanzer (POR) 6-2, 6-3
5. Anna Gullickson (POR) vs. Lindsay McBride (SCU), DNF
6. Erika Barnes (SCU) def. Audree Jenks (POR) 6-3, 6-3