Box Score MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -- The ULM
tennis team opened its Sun Belt Conference schedule with a dominating 7-0 victory
at Middle Tennessee Tuesday afternoon. The Warhawks have now won 10 straight
matches dating back to Jan. 23.
"This was a long road trip for
our ladies and we had to handle some adversity along the way," ULM head coach
Terrence De Jongh said. "With the late addition of Lipscomb to the schedule
yesterday and having to play at two different locations today, for us to come
away with a pair of 7-0 victories is pretty good."
ULM (11-1) fell from 46th
to 74th in the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA)
rankings which were released Tuesday afternoon despite the Warhawks having not lost
a match in a month and a half. Computer rankings are used to place the top 50
teams, while teams 51-75 in the computer rankings are adjusted by the ITA
National Ranking Committee.
As they have done throughout
their win streak, the Warhawks won the doubles point to take a 1-0 lead over
the Blue Raiders (4-5) into singles action. Claire Clark and Monica Winkel
jumped out to a 3-0 lead on court two before winning 8-3 to improve to 11-1 on
the season as a duo.
ULM's freshman tandem of Medy
Blankvoort and Letha Gaigher ran their doubles record to 8-3 on the season with
an 8-4 victory on court one to wrap up the doubles point. Ana Burjaili and
Vivian Polak rallied from a 7-6 deficit on court three to complete the doubles
sweep for the Warhawks with an 8-7 win; the victory improved the ULM duo to
10-2 on the season as a pair.
Gaigher gave the Warhawks a
2-0 lead with her 10th straight singles victory, a 6-3, 6-1 decision
over Alex Dachos on court six. Clark pushed the ULM advantage out to 3-0 after
a straight sets win on court one to improve her record to 11-0 this season and
49-2 over the past three spring seasons. She won five straight games to take
the first set 6-2 and after falling behind 3-0 in the second set, Clark won six
straight games to win 6-3.
Rain then forced the teams
from the Buck Bouldin Tennis Center to the indoor courts at the Nashboro
Village Athletic Club.
Burjaili clinched the win for
the Warhawks with a 7-6, 6-3 victory on court four to run her singles record to
8-2 on the season. Winkel (1-6, 6-4, 6-3), Blankvoort (6-2, 4-6, 6-3) and Polak
(7-6, 3-6, 10-7) all won three-set matches on courts two, three and five, respectively,
to complete the ULM shutout.
The Warhawks next return to
action on March 20 when they travel to Lake Charles, La., for a non-conference
match against McNeese State.
No. 74 ULM 7, Middle Tennessee State 0
Singles:
1. Claire Clark (ULM) def.
Yuiri Nomoto (MT) 6-2, 6-3
2. Monica Winkel (ULM) def.
Marietta Bigus (MT) 1-6, 6-4, 6-3
3. Medy Blankvoort (ULM) def.
Carla Nava (MT) 6-2, 4-6, 6-3
4. Ana Burjaili (ULM) def.
Lisa Maas (MT) 7-6, 6-3
5. Vivian Polak (ULM) def.
Lexi Brand (MT) 7-6, 3-6, 10-7
6. Letha Gaigher (ULM) def.
Alex Dachos (MT) 6-3, 6-1
Doubles:
1. Letha Gaigher/Medy
Blankvoort (ULM) def. Yuiri Nomoto/Lisa Maas (MT) 8-4
2. Claire Clark/Monica Winkel
(ULM) def. Lexi Brand/Marietta Bigus (MT) 8-3
3. Ana Burjaili/Vivian Polak
(ULM) def. Carla Nava/Alex Dachos (MT) 8-7
