Rice University
Sacramento State
Sacramento State Escapes From Rice With 4-3 Decision
3/17/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
March 17, 2006
HOUSTON -- In a marathon dual match the lasted more than four and a half hours and came down to a third-set tiebreak, 49th-ranked Sacramento State held off the upset-minded, and 75th-ranked, Rice women in a 4-3 decision on Friday at the Jake Hess Tennis Stadium.
The Hornets scored wins at one and two doubles to take the first point of the day. The Owls' Tiffany Lee and Christine Dao continued their winning ways at number three, beating Cecila Helland and Svetlana Pimenova 8-5 for their fifth-consecutive victory.
Senior Medeja Egic got Rice on the scoreboard as she quickly dispatched Helland 6-0, 6-0 at number five singles. Sacramento State got the point back with a win at number six before Lee knotted the score with her 6-4, 6-2 win against Karina Jarlkaganova at four. In the meantime, the final three matches were heading into third sets.
The Hornets went up 3-2 with a win at number one. Dao then fended off Luba Schifris for a 7-6 (1), 3-6, 6-4 triumph at the two position to even the score. At three, in a match punctuated by long rallies, Sacramento State's Joyce Martinez just edged Alanna Rodgers in a tough tiebreak to clinch the team victory, winning 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7).
The loss drops Rice to 6-9 on the year and was the first of the season at home. The Owls return to action on March 24 when they host longtime foe SMU, currently ranked 43rd, at the Jake Hess Tennis Stadium at 3 pm.
Results
No. 49 Sacramento State 4, No. 75 Rice 3
Doubles
1. Karnaukhova/Lyssenko (CSUS) def. DiSesa/Rodgers (RU), 8-2
2. Schifris/Martinez (CSUS) def. Kimberley Patenaude /Egic (RU), 8-4
3. Lee/Dao (RU) def. Helland/Pimenova (CSUS), 8-5
Singles
1. Margarita Karnaukhova (CSUS) def. No. 54 Blair DiSesa (RU), 4-6, 6-3, 6-2
2. Christine Dao (RU) def. Luba Schifris (CSUS), 7-6 (1), 3-6, 6-4
3. Joyce Martinez (CSUS) def. Alanna Rodgers (RU), 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7)
4. Tiffany Lee (RU) def. Karina Jarlkaganova (CSUS), 6-4, 6-2
5. Medeja Egic (RU) def. Cecila Helland (CSUS), 6-0, 6-0
6. Svetlana Pimenova (CSUS) def. Emily Braid (RU), 6-2, 6-1
Players Mentioned
