University of Houston
Alabama
Cougars Overpowered By Crimson Tide
3/15/2008 12:00:00 AM | Tennis
March 15, 2008
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - With the match versus the University of Alabama forced to go indoors due to inclement weather, the University of Houston was out of its element against the Crimson Tide, falling 7-0 here this afternoon.
The Cougars are now 9-7 on the season and face Samford University in Birmingham, Ala., at noon tomorrow.
The doubles point was a battle, but the Crimson Tide grabbed the crucial games when needed. At #3 doubles the UH tandem of Jordan McCombs and Vicky Simpson had Tiffany Welcher and Merritt Emery knotted at 6-all before succumbing, 8-6. The #1 doubles duo of Lucy Forward and Izabella Glinska dropped an 8-4 decision against Paulina Bigos and Andrea Brenes, giving the point to Alabama and making the #2 doubles match a moot point, thus ending as retired by Leila Salek and Lynley Wasson.
"Even though (Alabama) is not ranked," UH head coach John Severance emphasized, "they beat two tough SEC teams this past week and will probably be ranked very soon. We were forced to go indoors, and that turned into a much sided home-court advantage for them.
"It was very tight in doubles play, and we had several chances at 6-all in #3 doubles but couldn't come up with the big shot. We had a good match at #2 singles but we were beat in straight sets in the other singles matches.
"We'll just have to re-focus and get ready to play tomorrow against Samford. They are a very solid team and it should be a very difficult match to win."
The singles' match pointed out by Severance was Salek's battle at #2. After taking the first set 6-2, UA's Bigos rallied to take a 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 win over the UH senior.
The remaining five singles matches were straight set defeats. Forward fell 6-0, 6-3 to Welcher at #1; Glinska was bounced by Alice Tunaru, 6-3, 6-1 at #3; Emery downed Simpson, 6-4, 6-0, at #4; Wasson dropped a 6-1, 6-3 decision at #5 to Shelley Godwin; and, Joanna Kacprzyk lost 6-0, 6-4, to Brenes at #6.
---www.UHCougars.com---
Players Mentioned
