Aggie women’s tennis edged by Weber State
OGDEN – This finally looked like the year for a victory at Weber State.
With a 5-2 victory over the Wildcats in Logan, and a group of players starting to peak, the Utah State women’s tennis team was confident in beating Weber for only the third time ever and the first time in Ogden.
But disappointment was the only thing the Aggies found on the road, as a singles charge by the Wildcats left USU with a heartbreaking repeat of last year’s 4-3 loss.
“I thought we had this one under our belt, but obviously, you’ve got to fight for the singles,” said USU co-captain Caroline Pollock. “Weber, they’re our rivals, and we just haven’t beat them [at Weber] yet and we’ve been on a role. We can do it, but we just didn’t pull it out. Very disappointing.”
Utah State (6-9) got off to a quick start in doubles, picking up the No. 1 and 2 matches to earn the point.
At No. 1, Aggies Caroline Pollock and Lindsey Bennion dispatched Briana Beauchene and Chelsee Drews, 8-2.
In the No. 2 match, partners Carolyn Larsen and Haley Hawkins were back together for the first time in four matches, but they didn’t waste much time finding a rhythm. It took the duo barely 30 minutes to roll over Maria Bublik and Alexandra Ilie, 8-0.
“It felt great. It was fun being back with my old partner,” Hawkins said. “I felt that we executed our shots, and I think we played really well together and I have all the confidence that we’ll continue to.”
The one doubles match that didn’t go the Aggies’ way was No. 3. There, Weber’s Elana Smit and Karla Pretorius topped Jill Smith and Andrea Hansen, 8-2.
Starting singles, it looked as if the momentum from doubles would carry over for the Aggies – and it did, but only in some of the matches.
“Couldn’t have asked for a better start, and we actually looked good out there the first little while in all the singles,” said USU Head Coach Chris Wright.
Utah State jumped up in three of the matches, making things look good for the team victory.
In her No. 1 match, Pollock won the first set, 6-3, and was able to shutout Bublik, 6-0, in the second set for her seventh victory of the spring.
At No. 4, Smith had no problem with Smit, cruising to a 6-2, 6-0. Smith leads Utah State this spring with a 9-6 singles record.
“Those two went out and finished it off,” Wright said. “All the others have the ability to, in their spot, to do the very same thing [No. 1 and 2] did and we just, intensity-wise, let it slip.”
USU also jumped out to a lead at No. 5, with Shelly Ferguson winning her first set against Drews 6-2 and going up 2-1 in the second.
But, after some racket throwing and storming around the court in the first set, Drews got over her frustration and bounced back with a 6-3, 6-0 victory.
In the other three singles matches, the Wildcats (8-7) were able to go up early, and despite late charges by the Aggies, were able to hold on.
At No. 2, Ilie edged Larsen, 6-3, 6-3 and Pretorius topped Hansen, 6-0, 6-3, at No. 6.
Utah State appeared to be making a comeback in the final match in progress, as Bennion bounced back from a 6-1 loss in the first set to Beauchene, and forced a tie break at 6-6.
Bennion was unable to take the set, though, as the sideline official made her presence felt. A sudden, inopportune foot fault call, one of the few the official made during the match, led to a double fault by Bennion. Falling behind, Bennion wasn’t able to rebound, losing the tiebreaker 7-2.
“Not in any disrespect to [Weber], it should have never happened,” Wright said. “We had a lot of opportunities to finish it off and we didn’t close the door, and that’s what happens.”
Utah State will be back in play with a home match Saturday morning against Portland State.
Last year, USU defeated the Vikings 7-0, but Wright said they are an improved team this season.
“We can’t underestimate anybody,” he said. “We’re looking for a strong match.”
The match, at the Sports Academy in North Logan, will begin at 9 a.m. and is one of the few morning matches the Aggies have.
“It’s different, but maybe that will be a good change for us,” Pollock said. “We need some change, obviously, from this match and maybe that will give us a fresher feel.”
Despite coming off a loss, Hawkins said she doesn’t think the team will be down, but will instead be primed for a bounce back win.
“I think we are all just more hungry, have more fire,” she said.
-slbk5@cc.usu.edu