Tennis splits over weekend
The Utah State women’s tennis team split a pair of matches this weekend, falling to Utah 5-2 on Friday but bouncing back to win against Nevada, 4-3 on Saturday.
The doubles point continued to prove itself the bane of the Aggie team as the squad dropped the point in both its matches.
Freshman Aggies Lauren Monson and Lindsey Bennion both had a good weekend despite the loss on Friday. Bennion won her third straight singles match at the number one spot as she defeated Utah’s Sheri Esrock in a straight set win 6-4, 7-6. Bennion got her fourth straight win against Nevada 7-6, 2-6, 6-2.
Friday, in the first singles match she’s played in during the spring season Monson defeated her Utah opponent 6-1, 6-1. She got her second win in a row with the same score against Nevada on Saturday.
The weekend started out slow for the Aggies.
“We had a slow start in some of our matches,” said Utah State Head Coach Christian Wright. “We were able to get some of the momentum back in singles, but we had a tough time getting everything back after losing the doubles point.”
Bennion and Monson were the only Aggies to get a win against Utah. Jill Smith was defeated by U of U’s Whitney Eber 6-3, 6-1 at the number two singles spot.
Playing at the number three position the Ute’s Cinthia Caucedo defeated USU’s Courtney Anderson 6-0, 7-5. Carolyn Stephens was defeated by Utah’s Jessica Watts 6-0, 7-6 and Aggie Andrea Hansen lost to Rachel Alder at the number five spot 3-6, 7-5.
The team was able to bounce back and come out stronger on Saturday against Reno. Smith and Hansen joined Bennion and Monson on the winner’s side for the victory over Reno.
Smith had a straight-set victory against Reno’s Myriam Bouchlaka going 6-4, 6-3. Hansen played strong as well and defeated Cherie Petterson at the number five singles spot 6-2, 6-4.
“I was really impressed with our effort,” Wright said. “I think we had a lot more faith in our shots and our ability.”
Stephens and Anderson weren’t as lucky against Reno. Stephens, at the number four spot, fell to Kristen Davenport 2-6, 6-4, 6-4. Nevada’s Fiorella Velez took down Anderson 6-4, 0-6, 6-2.
The Aggie women will look to continue winning as they travel to Montana Feb. 27, to compete against Montana State.
-aedmunds@cc.usu.edu