California (Pa.) Ends Upstate's Tournament Run
7/30/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
May 9, 2007
ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. - For the second straight match, USC Upstate needed to win the final singles match left to be decided in order to move on in the NCAA Tournament. However, unlike last Friday when the Spartans came through with the win, California (Pa.)'s Olga Alekseeva claimed a 7-5 victory over Vivian Neuenschwander at the No. 6 slot to give Cal a 5-4 victory and a spot in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II Women's Tennis National Championships Wednesday evening.
Upstate ends its season with a 21-6 record. The Spartans were making their first ever trip to the NCAA Nationals. Sixth-ranked California (28-1) advances to West Florida on the quarterfinals Thursday at 4:00 p.m. at Sanlando Park.
California took a 2-1 lead heading into singles play. Nina Reiswich and Katie Anderson teamed to take an 8-3 victory over Maria Herrera and Diana Martinez at the No. 3 doubles spot to give Cal a 1-0 lead. The Vulcans made it a 2-0 lead when Helena VanEysendeyk and Lisa Santoro claimed an 8-5 victory over Anna Novo and Neuenschwander at the No. 2 slot. Susana Hernandez and Daniela Lovera got Upstate on the board with an 8-6 victory over Inga Chilingaryn and Yumi Matsuto at the No. 1 slot.
Needing to win four of the six singles matches to advance to the quarterfinals, Upstate got things going when Hernandez claimed a dominating 6-2, 6-1 victory over Santoro at the No. 2 position to tie the team match at 2-2. Cal went ahead 3-2 after VanEysendeyk defeated Martinez by scores of 6-3, 6-3 at the No. 3 position. The Vulcans put themselves in position to win when Reiswich claimed a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Herrera at the No. 5 slot to take a 4-2 lead in the team match.
Upstate then rallied. Lovera gutted out a 6-4, 7-5 victory over Matsuto at the No. 4 position to get the Spartans within 4-3. Novo tied the team match at 4-4 with her gritty three-set victory over Chilingaryan at the No. 1 slot. She won by scores of 6-0, 1-6, 6-2. The match hinged on the No. 6 singles match where Neuenschwander and Alekseeva were locked in a tense match.
Neuenschwander claimed a 6-3 victory in the first set, but Alekseeva responded with a 6-3 win in the second set, forcing the match to a deciding third set. In the third set, Neuenschwander broke serve to take a 6-5 lead and was serving for the match. Alekseeva, though, answered by breaking back to send the match into a tiebreaker. Alekseeva was able to take a 7-5 victory in the tiebreaker to win the match and push the Vulcans into the quarterfinals.
Match Results
California (Pa.) 5, USC Upstate 4
Singles
#1 Anna Novo (Upstate) def. Inga Chilingaryan (Cal); 6-0, 1-6, 6-2
#2 Susana Hernandez (Upstate) def. Lisa Santoro (Cal); 6-2, 6-1
#3 Helena VanEysendeyk (Cal) def. Diana Martinez (Upstate); 6-3, 6-3
#4 Daniela Lovera (Upstate) def. Yumi Matsuto (Cal); 6-4, 7-5
#5 Nina Reiswich (Cal) def. Maria Herrera (Upstate); 6-4, 6-4
#6 Olga Aleskseeva (Cal) def. Vivian Neuenschwander (Upstate); 6-3, 3-6, 7-6
Doubles
#1 Susana Hernandez/Daniela Lovera (Upstate) def. Inga Chilingaryan/Yumi Matsuto (Cal); 8-6
#2 Helena VanEysendeyk/Lisa Santoro (Cal) def. Anna Novo/Vivian Neuenschwander (Upstate); 8-5
#3 Nina Resiwich/Katie Anderson (Cal) def. Maria Herrera/Diana Martinez (Upstate); 8-3
