Weber State smokes USU in women’s tennis
The USU women’s tennis team lost 6-1 Tuesday to a talented Weber State University team. The Wildcats are the defending Big Sky Champions and are predicted to take the title this year.
Freshman Richelle Ferguson was the only Aggie to win a match. She defeated Belgium player Kim Sen in three sets, 6-3, 6-7, 7-5. This has been Ferguson’s fifth straight victory at the No. 3 singles position.
“She has been playing really well, she just kept battling in their,” said USU Head coach Chris Wright Wright.
Not all Aggies had a day like Ferguson. The No. 1 singles match was uncontested as USU’s Sarah Lowe lost 6-0, 6-1 to Lanka Zakarova, who is currently ranked 42nd in the country.
“She was a tough player,” Wright said. “She won regionals last year without even losing a set.”
Jocee Mason lost her match at No. 2 singles 6-3, 6-4 to Serena Steencamp. Junior Tracy Bertagna was defeated 6-3, 6-3 at the No. 4 singles match. Johanna Johnson couldn’t get into any sort of rhythm as she lost 6-0, 6-0, and freshman Amelia Martinez lost 6-3, 6-1 in the No. 6 singles match.
Doubles was just as tough. The Aggies lost all three doubles matches, and only had one close match. Sarah Lowe and Amy Thatcher couldn’t pull it together as they lost 8-2. Mason and Ferguson lost a close match at 8-6, and the currently hot duo of Bertagna and Martinez were cooled down 8-2.
The Aggie women will play next at the Big West Championship at Ojai, Calif.
Meanwhile, the USU men’s tennis team will play Friday at 1:30 p.m. vs. the University of Montana at the Sports Academy. The men have been practicing for nearly a month and are eager for their first game since they went to Hawaii for spring break.
“The guys are hitting the ball well and are playing aggressive,” Wright said. “We will see how we show up.”