Rice University
Marshall
Rice Falls To Marshall in C-USA Semifinals
4/21/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
April 21, 2007
TULSA, Okla. -- Rice's string of upsets came to a close on Saturday as the 10th-seeded Owls fell to third-seeded and 63rd-ranked Marshall 4-2 in the semifinals of the Conference USA Women's Tennis Championship in Tulsa, Okla.
In the first two rounds of the championship, the Owls upset Houston 4-1 in the opener on Thursday, then edged 52nd-ranked SMU 4-3 in Friday's quarterfinal. The loss brings Rice's season to a close with an 8-15 record.
After the Thundering Herd won the doubles point to take the early lead, Dominique Karas struck a quick blow for the Owls at No. 4 singles, blasting Lynzee Kever 6-0, 6-1 to knot the team score at 1-1. Marshall won the next two to push the margin to 3-1, when Tiffany Lee rallied for a 5-3 deficit in the second set for beat Yulia Kashelkina 6-3, 7-6 (4) as the final two matches headed the third frames.
The Herd scored a win at No. 5 singles to clinch the team decision. At No. 1 singles, Rice's Julie Chao was leading 7-5, 4-6, 5-2 against 79th-ranked Kellie Schmitt, but the match was suspended when the team decision had been reached.
Results
#63 Marshall 4, Rice 2
Doubles
1. Kellie Schmitt/Lynzee Kever (MAR) def. Julie Chao/Tiffany Lee (RICE) 8-5
2. Karolina Soor/Thaddea Lock (MAR) vs. Dominique Karas/Rebecca Lin (RICE) 5-7, unfinished
3. Jessica Keener/Yulia Kashelkina (MAR) def. Emily Braid/Christine Dao (RICE) 8-4
Singles
1. #79 Kellie Schmitt (MAR) vs. Julie Chao (RICE) 5-7, 6-4, 2-5, unfinished
2. Karolina Soor (MAR) def. Christine Dao (RICE) 6-2, 6-2
3. Tiffany Lee (RICE) def. Yulia Kashelkina (MAR) 6-3, 7-6 (7-4)
4. Dominique Karas (RICE) def. Lynzee Kever (MAR) 6-0, 6-1
5. Thaddea Lock (MAR) def. Rebecca Lin (RICE) 3-6, 6-3, 6-0
6. Jessica Keener (MAR) def. Emily Braid (RICE) 6-3, 6-4
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3); Singles (4,2,6,3,5)
Players Mentioned
