Rice University
Illinois
Owls Suffer First Home Loss
3/19/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
March 19, 2012
Elizabeth Schmidt knew her Rice women's tennis team had added a formidable challenge when they added 46th ranked Illinois to the schedule and the Illini lived up to the scouting report, handing the 29th ranked Owls their first home loss of the year, 5-1 on Monday at Jake Hess Tennis Stadium.
"Credit to Illinois. They played a very tough match," Schmidt said., " We dug ourselves into some holes early in several matches, and, while we fought really hard to get out of them, it's difficult to play catch-up all day long against a team like Illinois."
The two schools added the match to their schedules after losing matches on the schedule earlier this year due to rain. Ironically, rain proved to be a constant issue during Monday's match as brief light showers caused multiple stoppages in play and eventually cost the Owls a second point when Ana Guzman's match at No. 4 singles was halted at match point when a heavier burst of rain made the courts unplayable.
Rice's Natalie Beazant provided the Owls their lone point of the day. The 46th ranked singles player in the country raised her dual record to 14-1 with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Allison Falkin. Beazant and doubles partner Dominique Harmath, currently ranked 42nd, won their match at No. 1, 8-6, but Illinois captured the doubles point with wins at No. 2 and 3.
Schmidt noted her team will not have long to wait to get back on the winning track. The Owls will host Texas State at Jake Hess on Thursday before hitting the road on the weekend to face 52nd ranked Tulane on Sunday.
"We'll take this experience and learn from it as we prepare for Texas State and Tulane," Schmidt noted.
Tennis Match Results
Illinois vs Rice
3/19/2012 at Houston, Texas
(Jake Hess Tennis Stadium)
#46 Illinois 5, #29 Rice 1
Singles competition
1. Natalie Beazant (RICE) def. Allison Falkin (ILL) 6-4, 6-4
2. Marisa Lambropoulos (ILL) def. Dominique Harmath (RICE) 6-4, 2-6, 6-1
3. Melissa Kopinski (ILL) def. Katie Gater (RICE) 6-4, 4-6, 6-1
4. Ana Guzman (RICE) vs. Amy Allin (ILL) 7-5, 2-6, 5-2, unfinished
5. Rachael White (ILL) def. Kimberly Anicete (RICE) 6-0, 6-3
6. Breanne Smutko (ILL) def. Stephanie Nguyen (RICE) 6-4, 4-6, 7-5
Doubles competition
1. #42 Natalie Beazant/Dominique Harmath (RICE) def. Marisa Lambropoulos/Melissa Kopinski (ILL) 8-6
2. Rachael White/Amy Allin (ILL) def. Ana Guzman/Katie Gater (RICE) 8-5
3. Allison Falkin/Chelcie Abajian (ILL) def. Kimberly Anicete/Stephanie Nguyen (RICE) 8-2
Match Notes:
Illinois 7-5; National ranking #46
Rice 10-4; National ranking #29
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (5,1,3,2,6)
Players Mentioned
