Rice University
Baylor
Owls Rally at Baylor Falls Short
2/11/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
by Chuck Pool (cpool@rice.edu) -
WACO, TX-Rice started fast and closed with a stirring rush, but fell victim to a sluggish start in singles as Baylor downed the Owls 4-2 at the Hurd Tennis Center on Saturday afternoon.
Looking to get their first win over the Bears in a dual match since 1995, the Owls remained unbeaten in doubles with strong efforts on the first and second lines, but they could not carry that momentum into singles, which as a point of emphasis for Rice head coach Elizabeth Schmidt when she spoke to the team after the match.
"It was nice we got the doubles point, but we can't come out and lose four quick first sets and not put any pressure on them in the second hour of the match," Schmidt said.
Rice took the early lead thanks to a 6-2 win by 50th ranked Wendy Zhang and Lindsey Hodge on court one and a tiebreaker win on the second court by Alison Ho and Priya Niezgoda. But Baylor shook off the early disappointment once singles began as the Bears stormed to take first sets on five of six courts.
Rice kept its hopes alive for the milestone win by forcing third sets on three of five courts, but Baylor responded by forcing a third set of its own and used that extra set to produce the clinching point.
Yes, it's great we won that doubles point and it was great we were fighting at the end but we have to be more consistent in our determination and in our play and attitude," Schmidt said. "That's what Baylor does really well. They stuck to it today and were just a little bit better than us in making one extra ball and finding a way.
Katherine Ip, who dropped a first set tiebreaker, stormed back to provide the Owls second point of the match with a 6-7, 6-0, 6-2 win over Baylor's Elizabeth Profit .
Schmidt said she is looking forward to getting the Owls back on the practice court to prepare for next weekend's road match at Arizona.
"Obviously it was nice to see the way we fought when it looked like we were down and out but frankly we can't can't put ourselves in situations in these type of matches were we are down and out. We believe we shouldn't have been there today. We did not step up at the beginning of singles and find a way to get extra balls in the court so we have to learn from that and be better next time."
Rice vs Baylor
Feb 11, 2017 at Waco, Texas
(Hurd Tennis Center)Baylor 4, Rice 2
Singles competition
1. #9 Blair Shankle (BU) def. Wendy Zhang (RU) 6-1, 6-1
2. Rhiann Newborn (BU) def. Lindsey Hodge (RU) 6-2, 6-3
3. #78 Katherine Ip (RU) def. Elizabeth Profit (BU) 6-7, 6-0, 6-2
4. Theresa Van Zyl (BU) vs. Fernanda Astete (RU) 6-0, 2-6, unfinished
5. Angie Shakhraichuk (BU) def. Alison Ho (RU) 2-6, 6-4, 7-5
6. Jessica Hinojosa (BU) def. Savannah Durkin (RU) 6-4, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. #50 Wendy Zhang/Lindsey Hodge (RU) def. Blair Shankle/Angie Shakhraichuk (BU) 6-2
2. Alison Ho/Priya Niezgoda (RU) def. Rhiann Newborn/Jessica Hinojosa (BU) 7-6
3. Elizabeth Profit/Theresa Van Zyl (BU) def. Savannah Durkin/Katherine Ip (RU) 6-4
Match Notes:
Rice 4-2
Baylor 5-0
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (1,2,6,3,5)
Players Mentioned
