Rice University
Tulsa
Rice Stops Tulsa 4-3
3/25/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
March 25, 2006
HOUSTON -- Rice got back on the winning track Saturday, grinding out a 4-3 victory against Conference USA foe Tulsa in a dual match that was pushing the four-hour mark at the Jake Hess Tennis Stadium.
The Owls opened strong by sweeping doubles to take the first point of the day. Christine Dao and Tiffany Lee scored a commanding 8-3 win against Julie Westfall and Tiffany Smith at three, then Kimberley Patenaude and Alanna Rodgers clinched the point with their 8-6 win against Santie Delport and Thalia Barriga at two. Rice secured the sweep when Medeja Egic and Blair DiSesa won their tiebreaker to take a 9-8 (4) win at the top spot.
The Golden Hurricane answered right back in singles, winning at the two and three positions to take a 2-1 lead. After a long stretch between matches, Egic fended off Barriga 6-2, 7-6 (5) at four as the final four matches ended in rapid succession. Tulsa then took a 3-2 lead with a three-set win at the five position.
At the top spot, DiSesa knotted the team score with her 6-0, 3-6, 6-4 decision against Muscolino. That win was quickly followed by the Owls' Emily Braid icing the team victory with her 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 win against Agostina Santoro at six.
The win improves Rice's record to 7-10 on the year and concludes a six-match home stand. The Owls have next week off before traveling to the east coast to take on 20th-ranked William & Mary on April 7 and 19th-ranked Harvard on April 9.
Results
Rice 4, Tulsa 3
Doubles
1. DiSesa/Egic (RU) def. Muscolino/Grimes (TU), 9-8 (4)
2. Patenaude/Rodgers (RU) def. Delport/Barriga (TU), 8-6
3. Lee/Dao (RU) def. Julie Westfall/Smith (TU), 8-3
Singles
1. No. 65 Blair DiSesa (RU) def. Daniela Muscolino (TU), 6-0, 3-6, 6-4
2. Santie Delport (TU) def. Christine Dao (RU), 6-2, 6-2
3. Tiffany Smith (TU) def. Alanna Rodgers (RU), 6-0, 1-6, 6-0
4. Medeja Egic (RU) def. Thalia Barriga (RU), 6-2, 7-6 (5)
5. Kindsey Grimes (TU) def. Kimberley Patenaude (RU), 3-6, 6-3, 7-5
6. Emily Braid (RU) def. Agostina Santoro (TU), 6-4, 3-6, 6-3
Order of Finish: D3, D2, D1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S1, S6*
Players Mentioned
