University of Houston
Kansas State
Cougars Open Weekend with 4-2 Win
3/3/2017 12:00:00 AM | Tennis
MANHATTAN, Kan. â€" The Houston Cougar Women's Tennis team opened weekend play with a 4-2 comeback win over Kansas State on Friday.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Houston opened play in doubles action with a 6-1 win for Tsveta Dimitrova and Ana Glumac over Carolina Costamagna and Ines Mesquita. The final two doubles contests went down to the wire, however the Wildcats edged out the Cougars in each to claim the doubles point.
At No. 2 doubles, Millie Stretton and Ana Garcia Navas outlasted Constandena Nicolaou and Cristina Rovira 7-5 to even the score. The deciding match went back-and-forth, playing all the way into a tiebreaker, however Iva Bago and Livia Cirnu defeated Lauren Alter and Sveva Mazzari 7-6 (7-4).
The Wildcats extended their lead to begin singles play, grabbing the first match with a 6-4, 6-2 win for Cirnu over Glumac at the No. 6 position.
Houston's comeback began with a win from Mazzari at the No. 2 position. Mazzari rolled to a 6-1 win in set one over Stretton, but was locked in a battle in the second set. With the match knotted at six, Mazzari fought through the tiebreaker to win 7-6 (8-6) and pick up her fifth win of the season.
The Cougars tied the score with a win at the No. 1 singles position from Dimitrova. The freshman's match also saw her playing through a tiebreaker, winning the first set 7-6 (7-2) before closing out the match with a 6-2 win in set two for Houston's second overall point. The win for Dimitrova matches her for the team lead with Mazzari at five.
Houston claimed its first lead of the match with a win from Alter at No. 4 singles. Alter cruised to a 6-1 win in set one before Garcia Navas evened the match with a 7-5 win in the second set. However, Alter rebounded to win set three 6-3 and claim the third point for the Cougars. Alter collected her fourth win of the season with the victory.
The match-clinching point for Houston came from Rovira on court 3 over Mesquita. Rovira fell behind in the match after Mesquita won the first set 6-3. The Cougar answered with a 6-3 win in set two and clinched the match with another 6-3 win in the decisive set. The win for Rovira is her fourth of the spring.
Nicolaou and Maria Panaite were locked in a dual at the No. 5 singles position when the match was halted with Panaite leading 7-6 (7-2), 4-6, 3-2
UP NEXT FOR HOUSTON
The Cougars wrap up their month-long road trip with a pair of matches on Saturday in Lincoln, Neb. Houston is scheduled to meet Nebraska in the first match of the doubleheader at 11 a.m., before closing out with Illinois State at 4 p.m.
JOIN THE CENTER COURT CLUB
The Cougars are proud to introduce the Center Court Club, a restricted-giving program that directly impacts the needs of the University of Houston Tennis program. Gifts to the Center Court Club provide financial support directly to the University of Houston Tennis program for needs beyond the program's operating budget. Revenue generated from the Center Court Club is used at the discretion of the head coach for program enhancements. Membership in the Center Court Club is annual and requires a minimum $100 gift.
LEVELS OF GIVING
WINNER
For a minimum gift of $100, supporters receive a team poster and a signed tennis ball.
ACE
For a minimum gift of $500, supporters receive a team poster and a signed tennis ball, private practice invitation and a stadium blanket.
US OPEN
For a minimum gift of $1,000, supporters receive a team poster and a signed tennis ball, private practice invitation, a stadium blanket, fleece jacket and a lesson from the coach.
GRAND SLAM
For a minimum gift of $2,500, supporters receive a team poster and a signed tennis ball, private practice invitation, a stadium blanket, fleece jacket, a lesson from the coach and a group lesson from the coaching staff.
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Players Mentioned
