Rice University
Arizona
Third Sets A Charm as Owls Drop Arizona
2/6/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
By Chuck Pool (cpool@rice.edu)
Savannah Durkin, Alison Ho and Lindsey Hodge shook off first-set disappointments to rally themselves and their teammates and spark a 6-1 win over 65th ranked Arizona at the George R. Brown Tennis Center on brisk and windy Saturday afternoon.
Durkin leveraged a second-set tiebreaker win prevail in three sets to clinch the dual. Ho followed shortly after with a three set win of her own, while Hodge battled back to win tiebreaks in both the second and third sets to pick up her second win in three matches with ranked opponents this spring as the Owls improved to 3-1 on the season.
One week after dropping a tough 5-2 decision to 18th ranked LSU, Rice head coach Elizabeth Schmidt said she was pleased the way the team responded to that outcome as well as to the challenge thrown at them by the Wildcats, who were coming off a 7-0 win over No. 44 Houston on Friday.
"We were pretty disappointed after the loss last weekend against LSU but we came out to practice the day after that loss with an intensity and a focus," Schmidt said. "I learned a lot about our team this week in practice and again today. The conditions were tough with the wind and Arizona brings a lot of balls back. We played gutty, gritty, smart tennis," she added.
The tone for the day was set in the battle for the doubles point, which came down to a 6-4 decision by Ho and Hodge on court one. However it was a rally on court two by Emily Smith and Katherine Ip that made that clinching win possible. While Arizona was staking out a 6-4 win on court three, Smith and Ip fell behind 4-1 before rallying to win 6-4.
Those two added to the Owls lead with straight set wins on courts two and three in singles, but Arizona made a strong first-set statement on the remaining courts, winning first sets of singles on each.
Durkin made an early charge to even her match in the second set, but saw Arizona's Devin Chyphya rally to force a tiebreaker. Meanwhile Ho and Hodge were tied 4-4 and down a set, leaving the outcome very much in doubt.
Durkin took an early lead in her tiebreaker and never trailed while Ho won her last two games to force third sets. After Hodge fought back from a late break to force a tiebreak against the Wildcats' 64th ranked Lauren Marker, she forced a third set as well with a 7-0 win in the tiebreak.
Durkin and Ho maintained their momentum in third sets to end any hope of an Arizona but Hodge needed yet another rally to force a second tiebreaker before she outlasted Marker, 5-7, 7-6, 7-6. She had entered 2016 with an 0-3 record in five career dual matches against ranked foes, but defeated UMBC's 104th ranked Maria Siopacha on January 24 and dropped a three-set decision to LSU's No. 23 Joana Vale Costa last Sunday.
"Savannah's win in the tiebreaker was a huge turning point. It had a definite impact on the energy on all three courts," Schmidt stated.
Schmidt said the ability to fight off the challenge from the Wildcats, especially in the crucial tiebreakers, showcased the grit her team has developed.
"That showed our mental toughness and was about finding a way when your back is against the wall," Schmidt said. "We were up 3-1 and in the three remaining matches we lost the first set but came back. Obviously we'd like to win those first sets, but that's a great trademark for this team to have the ability to come back the way we did.
"The energy and the fight were great. I was down between Savannah and Alison's courts and they were continuously giving each other positive feedback and energy and I think their play reflected the impact that had on their mindset," Schmidt added.
The Owls will return to the courts next Saturday when they host Texas at 11 a.m. at the GRBTC.
Tennis Match Results
Arizona W Tennis vs Rice
2/6/2016 at Houston, TX
(George R. Brown Tennis Center)
#31 Rice 6, #65 Arizona W Tennis 1
Singles competition
1. Lindsey Hodge (RICE) def. #64 Lauren Marker (ARIZW) 5-7, 7-6 (7-0), 7-6 (9-7)
2. #40 Katherine Ip (RICE) def. Shayne Austin (ARIZW) 6-2, 6-3
3. Emily Smith (RICE) def. Camila Wesbrooks (ARIZW) 6-4, 6-2
4. Alison Ho (RICE) def. Kinga Garnter (ARIZW) 3-6, 6-4, 6-1
5. Savannah Durkin (RICE) def. Devin Chyphya (ARIZW) 3-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-2
6. Samantha Czarniak (ARIZW) def. Fernanda Astete (RICE) 6-2, 6-3
Doubles competition
1. Lindsey Hodge/Alison Ho (RICE) def. Lauren Marker/Shayne Austin (ARIZW) 6-4
2. Emily Smith/Katherine Ip (RICE) def. Inge Hendrikx/Samantha Czarniak (ARIZW) 6-4
3. Devin Chyphya/Camila Wesbrooks (ARIZW) def. Savannah Durkin/Solomiya Zinko (RICE) 6-4
Match Notes:
Arizona W Tennis 3-2; National ranking #65
Rice 3-1; National ranking #31
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (3,2,6,5,4,1)
Players Mentioned
