The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Rice
Women's Tennis tops Rice, 6-1 in season opener
01.23.2010 | Women's Tennis
Jan. 23, 2010
AUSTIN, Texas -- No. 31 Texas (1-0) captured a lengthy doubles session and claimed five of six singles matches, as the Longhorns opened the 2010 campaign with a 6-1 win over Rice Saturday afternoon at UT's Penick-Allison Tennis Center.
Texas opened the match by securing wins in two of three doubles matches to take the doubles point. Senior Stephanie Davison and junior Caroline Larsson opened up a 7-2 lead at third doubles over Rebekka Hanle and Rebecca Lin before the Rice duo pulled within 7-5. The Texas tandem took the next game to clinch its match, 8-5. \
Tied at five at second doubles, UT senior Vanja Corovic and freshman Aeriel Ellis broke the service of Rice's Jessica Jackson and Alex Rasch and held in the ensuing game to assume a 7-5 lead. Rice held serve to pull within 7-6, but Texas held in the next game to take the match, 8-6 and clinch the doubles point. Seconds later, Rice ended the doubles session with a win as Julie Chao and Ana Guzman outlasted UT's Amanda Craddock and Krista Damico at first doubles, 8-6.
Texas senior Sarah Lancaster pushed the Longhorns' lead to 2-0 with a decisive 6-1, 6-2 win over Rasch at sixth singles. UT's 22nd-ranked Ellis remained in control against Rice's 73rd-ranked Hanle at first singles and emerged with a 6-3, 6-3 win to push the Texas lead to 3-0. UT junior Maggie Mello nailed down the team victory for the Longhorns at fifth singles, where she finished off Rice's Lin in three sets, 6-0, 3-6, 6-3.
Craddock tacked on to the Texas lead at fourth singles, where she dealt Rice's Guzman a 7-6 (2), 6-4 defeat to stake UT to a 5-0 lead. Rice got on the board at third singles, where Jackson outlasted Texas' Corovic, 6-1, 0-6, 7-5. The Longhorns' Damico finished off the Texas victory at second singles with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 win over Rice's Chao.
Texas resumes play on Friday, Jan. 29 at Tennessee in conjunction with the ITA Kick-Off Weekend. The Longhorns would earn a berth in the ITA National Team Indoor Championships with a win over Tennessee and an additional victory on Jan. 30 against either Vanderbilt or TCU.
POST-MATCH QUOTES
Texas head coach Patty Fendick-McCain
On the win: This is a Rice program that continues to get better and better, and we expected to have a battle on our hands. Our ladies were challenged throughout the match in doubles and singles. I'm proud of the way this group stepped up and got the win.
On preparing for next Friday's match at Tennessee: We want to get some people a little bit more healthy. We've got a few ailments here and there, so we'll get them some rest and then prepare as best as we can. We were able to get in a lot of indoor matches last week in preparation for next week's event, and that was a step in the right direction.
No. 31 Texas 6, Rice 1
Doubles - Order of Finish: 3, 2, 1
1 Chao/Guzman (RU) def. #27 Craddock/Damico (UT) - 8-6
2 Corovic/Ellis (UT) def. #44 Jackson/Rasch (RU) - 8-6
3 Davison/Larsson (UT) def. Hanle/Lin (RU) - 8-5
Singles - Order of Finish: 6, 1, 5, 4, 3, 2
1 #22 Aeriel Ellis (UT) def. #73 Rebekka Hanle (RU) - 6-3, 6-3
2 #27 Krista Damico (UT) def. Julie Chao (RU) - 6-3, 4-6, 6-3
3 Jessica Jackson (RU) def. #59 Vanja Corovic (UT) 6-1, 0-6, 7-5
4 Amanda Craddock (UT) def. Ana Guzman (RU) - 7-6 (2), 6-4
5 Maggie Mello (UT) def. Rebecca Lin (RU) - 6-0, 3-6, 6-3
6 Sarah Lancaster (UT) def. Alex Rasch (RU) - 6-1, 6-2
