SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Santa Clara women's tennis won the doubles point but fell to Western Kentucky on Saturday by a score of 4-3 at Degheri Tennis Center.
Santa Clara (2-5) claimed the doubles point with wins on courts one and two. Senior Daniella Silva and sophomore Madison Clarke tied the doubles score at 1-1 with their 6-2 win on court one. Senior Nabila Farah and freshman Caitlyn Frankel then clinched the point with a 7-6 (0) win on court two.
"We did a good job of finding a way to win the doubles point today," head coach Ben Cabell said. "It was close all the way and we were able to pull it out."
Clarke earned a 6-2, 6-4 win on court two over Monica Malinen for the first Broncos singles point. Clarke now has a 10-match winning streak dating back to the fall and she is 6-0 on court two in dual match play. Junior Zeina El Tawil won on court four against Cindy Oest by a score of 6-3, 7-5. The Hilltoppers (7-3) won the other four singles matches to claim the win.
"Singles was tough," Cabell said. "We just need to find a way to be more consistent across the board. We play well in some spots and not so well in others. We're doing okay but just not consistent and that's where we're at right now. We're in each match, we just have to put it all together on the same day."
SCU returns to action tomorrow at Degheri to face San Jose State at 12 p.m. PT.
WKU 4, SCU 3
March 11, 2017 | Degheri Tennis Center (Santa Clara, Calif.)
DOUBLES
(1) Clarke/Silva (SCU) def. Christopoulou/Friess (WKU) – 6-2
(2) Farah/Frankel (SCU) def. Oest/De Ugarte (WKU) – 7-6 (0)
(3) Malinen/Shatalova (WKU) def. El Tawil/Stephens (SCU) – 6-0
SCU wins doubles point.
Order of finish: 3, 1, 2
SINGLES
(1) Elpida Malamou (WKU) def. Daniella Silva (SCU) – 7-5, 6-3
(2) Madison Clarke (SCU) def. Monica Malinen (WKU) – 6-2, 6-4
(3) Andreanna Christopoulou (WKU) def. Nabila Farah (SCU) – 7-6, 6-4
(4) Zeina El Tawil (SCU) def. Cindy Oest (WKU) – 6-3, 7-5
(5) Natalia De Ugarte (WKU) def. Caitlyn Frankel (SCU) – 6-3, 6-0
(6) Violetta Shatalova (WKU) def. Giannina Ong (SCU) – 6-1, 6-4
Order of finish: 6, 2 5, 4, 1, 3*
* - clinched victory
