Women's Tennis Outlasts Iowa State in Thrilling Fashion

March 12, 2012

HOUSTON - Maja Kazimieruk won five of the final six games in the deciding third set to propel the University of Houston women's tennis team to a thrilling 4-3 victory over Iowa State, Monday afternoon at John E. Hoff Courts.

The Cougars claimed their sixth win in the last seven matches in their first outing in 15 days to improve to 6-3 overall this season.

"Anytime you have that much time off you're going to have some rust," head coach John Severance said. "You have to keep that competitive edge and our first match back we ended up in a dogfight, but it's nice to end up on top. Maja had to stay aggressive and play to win and it was a battle of who wanted it a little more and she won.

"Bryony (Hunter) and Giorgia (Pozzan) have continued to be very solid for us in singles," Severance continued. "Bryony jumped out in the beginning and was striking great balls and Giorgia played a great opponent and I knew as soon as she won the tiebreaker that the second set would be easier for her. Those two have done an outstanding job and we need the others to continue to step it up."

Iowa State (3-9) earned the opening win in doubles play before Houston's top duo of Bryony Hunter and Giorgia Pozzan evened the doubles portion by winning the final three games for an 8-6 victory over Maria Fernanda Macedo and Jenna Langhorst.

The critical opening point came down to the No. 2 position where Laura Ring and Liselot Koenen won four of the final five games for an 8-6 victory, improving to 5-0 on the season together.

"For the first time in a while the doubles point came up big," Severance said. "We played well under pressure, especially our No. 2 team. They had two holds to win the match and if you can hold in doubles, you're going to win."

Hunter opened singles play in dominant fashion, posting a 6-1, 6-4 triumph over Ksenia Pronina at the No. 2 position to give the Cougars an early 2-0 advantage. The victory was Hunter's fifth straight as the junior improved to 6-3 this season.

The Cyclones cut the lead in half as Marie-Christine Chartier posted a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Ring at the No. 6 position, who competed in her first singles match of the season in place of an injured Celia Fraser.

Pozzan then put Houston up 3-1 in the match, defeating Macedo at the top spot by a score of 7-6(5), 6-1 for the senior's eighth-straight victory this spring. Pozzan trailed 5-6 in the first set but was able to battle back and win the tiebreaker before cruising in the second frame.

Iowa State's Simona Cacciuttolo put the Cyclones back within a point, defeating Charlotte Phillips by a score of 7-5, 6-2 as the final two matches went into a third set.

Liselot Koenen dropped her three-set match against Meghan Cassens, 5-7, 6-4, 6-3, as the Cyclones knotted the match at three games apiece, turning the attention to the No. 5 singles contest between Kazimieruk and Langhorst.

Kazimieruk, a junior from Poznan, Poland, began the third set trailing 3-1 before reeling off four-straight games to take a 5-3 lead. Langhorst then held serve to inch within a game before Kazimieruk blanked her opponent with four-straight points to nail down the win for the Cougars.

Houston returns to action at 11 a.m., on Wednesday to play host to Marquette.

Houston 4, Iowa State 3

SINGLES
1. Giorgia Pozzan (UH) def. Maria Fernanda Macedo (ISU), 7-6(5), 6-1
2. Bryony Hunter (UH) def. Ksenia Pronina (ISU), 6-1, 6-4
3. Simona Cacciuttolo (ISU) def. Charlotte Phillips (UH), 7-5, 6-2
4. Meghan Cassens (ISU) def. Liselot Koenen (UH), 5-7, 6-4, 6-3
5. Maja Kazimieruk (UH) def. Jenna Langhorst (ISU), 5-7, 6-1, 6-4
6. Marie-Christine Chartier (ISU) def. Laura Ring (UH), 6-2, 6-4
Order of Finish: 2,6,1,3,4,5*

DOUBLES
1. Pozzan/Hunter (UH) def. Macedo/Longhorst (ISU), 8-6
2. Koenen/Ring (UH) def. Pronina/Cacciuttolo (ISU), 8-6
3. Chartier/Lang (ISU) def. Phillips/Kazimieruk (UH), 8-3
Order of Finish: 3,1,2*

*Clinching point

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