The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Tennessee-Martin
Blazer Women's Tennis Team Defeats Tennessee-Martin, 5-2
3/10/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
March 10, 2008
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ----- The UAB women's tennis team lost the doubles point but then rallied for wins at five-of-six singles positions en route to a 5-2 victory over Tennessee-Martin Monday at the Brook Highland Racquet Club.
The No. 57-ranked Blazers (7-1) bounced back from Sunday's loss to Arkansas State to post the win. Senior Antonio Nugent provided the clinching victory for UAB as she battled to a 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 win over Martie Wahl at No. 2 singles. The Blazers were winners at the top five singles positions.
UTM won the doubles point as it won at all three positions. At No. 1, Elizma Schoones and Ernestine Koornhof were 8-6 winners over UAB's Nugent and Evelien Strijker. At the No. 2 position, the Skyhawks' duo of Sara Leavy and Belisa De Brito defeated Jenny Cape and Seden Soyalp, 8-5. Tennessee-Martin also won at No. 3 as Mary Beth Gunn and Wahl downed the Blazers' Ceylan Engin and Giorgia Romeo, 8-3.
In addition to Nugent's win at No. 2 singles, UAB's Strijker was a 7-5, 7-5 winner at No. 1 over Schoones while Cape took a 6-2, 6-2 victory at No. 3 over UTM's De Brito. At No. 4 singles, Soyalp claimed a 6-0, 7-6 (5) decision over Koornhof. Romeo provided the other UAB singles win as she defeated Gunn, 6-2, 6-3, at No. 5. The Blazers' Engin fell in three sets at the No. 6 position, 3-6, 6-2, 1-0 (14-12).
"I thought we played well today," said UAB head coach Mert Ertunga, "especially in singles. I think our conditioning was a factor as we were able to come back strong today after playing yesterday."
UAB continues play Thursday when it plays East Carolina in its Conference USA opener.
No. 57 UAB 5, Tennessee-Martin 2
Doubles
No. 1 - Ernestine Koornhof/Elizma Schoones (UTM) def. Antonio Nugent/Evelien Strijker (UAB) 8-6
No. 2 - Belisa De Brito/Sara Leavy (UTM) def. Jenny Cape/Seden Soyalp (UAB) 8-5
No. 3 - Mary Beth Gunn/Martie Gunn (UTM) def. Ceylan Engin/Giorgio Romeo (UAB) 8-3
Singles
No. 1 - Strijker (UAB) def. Schoones (UTM) 7-5, 7-5
No. 2 - Nugent (UAB) def. Wahl (UTM) 6-2, 4-6, 6-4
No. 3 - Cape (UAB) def. De Brito (UTM) 6-2, 6-2
No. 4 - Soyalp (UAB) def. Koornhof (UTM) 6-0, 7-6 (5)
No. 5 - Romeo (UAB) def. Gunn (UTM) 6-2, 6-3
No. 6 - Julianne McMeen (UTM) def. Engin (UAB) 3-6, 6-2, 1-0 (14-12)
Players Mentioned
