SANTA CLARA, Calif. – After finishing up the winter term with a week of finals, the No. 72 Santa Clara women's tennis team returned to the Degheri Tennis Center to take on West Coast Conference opponent No. 36 Pepperdine on Saturday. In a thrilling match, No. 28 Katie Le upset No. 19 Lorraine Guillermo on court one 7-5, 6-4, but the Broncos could not take home the team victory, falling 4-2 to a solid Waves' squad.
Santa Clara embarks on a two-match road trip to Southern California where the Broncos face San Diego on Mon., Mar. 24 at 1:30 p.m. and then UC Irvine Wed., Mar. 26 at 11 a.m.
Santa Clara is 7-5 after its home loss to Pepperdine. The Broncos are 3-2 at home, 2-2 on the road and 2-1 on neutral surfaces. The team is 2-1 in the WCC after suffering its first loss against a league opponent this spring season.
The Broncos faced a challenging competitor in Pepperdine (8-4; 2-0 WCC), as the No. 36 team got on the board first by winning the doubles point. The new partnership of Delphine Rouvillois and Nicolette Wolny could not edge Ale Granillo and Michaela Capannolo of the Waves and fell 8-2 on court two. At the No. 3 position, the senior duo of Stephanie Skaras and Elaine Chesoni put up a strong battle but were defeated 8-5 by Danielle Feneridis and Pattaraporn Salirathavibhaga to clinch the doubles point for Pepperdine.
On the singles side, Santa Clara had to convert four out of the six individual matches to take the win for the day's events, but Pepperdine carried its energy from doubles into singles play. The Waves captured the necessary singles victories on courts 2, 4, and 6 to end the day in their favor.
Le posted an impressive upset over No. 19 Lorraine Guillermo on court one. The No. 28 player took the first set from her Pepperdine opponent in hardworking fashion, 7-5. The Bronco senior held on strong to close out the match in a commanding second set, 6-4. Le has not lost a match since Feb. 14 and has not dropped a set since Feb. 22. The Milpitas, Calif. native stands with a 9-1 record in her final dual season.
Sophomore Chelby Cooke tallies two wins in a row with a solid victory over the Waves's Michaela Capannolo, 6-3, 7-6, at the No. 3 position giving the Broncos their second and final point of the day.
The remainder of the Bronco squad did not go out without a fight against their Pepperdine opponents. With just her second match at the No. 2 spot, Rouvillois captured the first set from No. 105 Ale Granillo before falling in three sets, 4-6, 6-1, 6-1.
Chesoni put her skills on display on court six by taking the second set from challenger Danielle Fenderidis, 6-3. The Blythewood, S.C. native fell in three sets, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2. Junior Nicolette Wolny had the first set in her favor before her match went unfinished in a tied third-set.
Check back into SantaClaraBroncos.com daily for all your women's tennis news, updates, and more!
No. 36 Pepperdine 4, No. 72 Santa Clara 2
March 22 | Degheri Tennis Center | Santa Clara, Calif.
Singles
1) #28 Katie Le (SCU) def. #19 Lorraine Guillermo (PEP) 7-5, 6-4
2) #105 Ale Granillo (PEP) def. Delphine Rouvillois (SCU) 4-6, 6-1, 6-1
3) Chelby Cooke (SCU) def. Michaela Capannolo (PEP) 6-3, 7-6
4) A.Runglerdkriangkrai (PEP) def. Stephanie Skaras (SCU) 6-1, 6-3
5) Nicolette Wolny (SCU) vs. P. Salirathavibhaga (PEP) 6-4, 4-6, 5-5, Unfinished
6) Danielle Feneridis (PEP) def. Elaine Chesoni (SCU) 6-2, 3-6, 6-2
Doubles
1) Le/Cooke (SCU) vs. Guillermo/Runglerdkriangkrai (PEP) 6-7, Unfinished
2) Granillo/Capannolo (PEP) def. Rouvillois/Wolny (SCU) 8-2
3) Feneridis/Salirathavibhaga (PEP) def. Skaras/Chesoni (SCU) 8-5
GO BRONCOS!
