Rice University
Texas A&M Corpus Christi
Owls Respond to Islanders Challenge
3/19/2013 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
March 19, 2013
The 27th ranked Rice women's tennis team shook off a slow start in their first midweek match of the spring and turned on the momentum in singles to take a 4-0 win over Texas A&M Corpus Christi at Jake Hess Tennis Stadium on Tuesday.
The Owls (11-4) picked up an early boost from their 30th ranked doubles duo of Natalie Beazant and Dominique Harmath, who picked up a quick 8-3 win on the stadium court. But the clinching win for the doubles point proved harder to come by as the Islanders (10-2) won a tight battle on court 2 before Daniela Trigo and Solomiya Zinko outlasted Mia Matuszak and Maider Martin on court 3 to give Rice a 1-0 lead.
Rice head coach Elizabeth Schmidt said the change in routine might have impacted her team in the early going.
"This was the first midweek match of the spring and it's a different schedule since they had to go to class in the morning," Schmidt noted. "I told them before they were up for the challenge. No. 1 came out pretty quickly in doubles but two and three were a little bit flat. We didn't play our best doubles, but we found a way to win even though our energy was a little low."
Natalie Beazant provided a burst of energy on the stadium court, storming to her eighth consecutive win to run her season dual mark to 10-3. She has won her last seven matches in straight sets. Sophomore Liat Zimmermann followed with a straight set win on court three and Harmath closed out the scoring with a win on court 2. The three remaining matches were not finished after the Owls clinched the match.
"I thought we did a nice job in singles, coming out quickly on every court," Schmidt noted. "We came out quickly and with a purpose. But give credit to A&M Corpus Christi. They came in with only one loss and they came in confident. This was a chance to get a win over a ranked opponent. They made us earn the win, but I think our team really stepped it up after a slow start in doubles.
The match was the third of a five-match homestand for the Owls that will wrap up this weekend when they host #44 William and Mary on Saturday and #33 TCU on Sunday. First serve for both matches is set for 11 a.m.
Tennis Match Results
Texas A&M - Corpus Christi vs. Rice
3/19/2013 at Houston, Texas
(Jake Hess Tennis Stadium)
#29 Rice 4, Texas A&M - Corpus Christi 0
Singles competition
1. #59 Natalie Beazant (RICE) def. Doris Kuselj (AMCC) 6-2, 6-1
2. #15 Dominique Harmath (RICE) def. Maider Martin (AMCC) 6-0, 6-2
3. Liat Zimmermann (RICE) def. Sandra Burges (AMCC) 6-1, 6-3
4. Katie Gater (RICE) vs. Stefania Nicolae (AMCC) 5-7, 5-3, unfinished
5. Kimberly Anicete (RICE) vs. Chelsea Horan (AMCC) 6-2, 3-4, unfinished
6. Solomiya Zinko (RICE) vs. Celia Rodriguez (AMCC) 6-1, 3-4, unfinished
Doubles competition
1. #30 Natalie Beazant/Dominique Harmath (RICE) def. Doris Kuselj/Stefania Nicolae (AMCC) 8-3
2. Sandra Burges/Chelsea Horan (AMCC) def. Liat Zimmermann/Katie Gater (RICE) 8-6
3. Daniela Trigo/Solomiya Zinko (RICE) def. Mia Matuszak/Maider Martin (AMCC) 8-6
Match Notes:
Texas A&M - Corpus Christi 10-2
Rice 11-4; National ranking #27
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (,1,3,2)
Players Mentioned
