March 24, 2009
Final Stats |
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KENNESAW, Ga. - The Kennesaw State women's tennis team became another notch in the USC Upstate women's Atlantic Sun Conference belt on Tuesday, falling 6-1 to the defending regular season champions at the KSU Tennis Complex.
The win was Upstate's 16th-straight since joining the A-Sun last season, moving their record to 10-2 overall and 5-0 versus the conference this spring. The Owls fell to 6-8 overall and an even 2-2 against the A-Sun with the loss.
Mercedes Cobos was the Owls star for the day, earning KSU's lone point after claiming a straight-set 6-4, 6-2 win over Emilia Milovanovic at No. 3 singles. Cobos also teamed with Agatha Palider in the closest of the three doubles matches, eventually falling 9-7 to the Spartans' duo of Carolina Bello and Cinthya Lazaro.
Vera Shkundina was in line for an upset of reigning A-Sun Player of the Year Anna Novo, up a set and leading 5-3 in the second, but let her eleventh win of the season slip away. The Spartans' senior powered back to win the second 7-5 before handily winning the deciding third set 6-0.
"The team had a golden opportunity today and let it slip through their fingers," said a disappointed Kennesaw State Head Coach Brandon Padgett on the loss. "Conditioning should not be an issue at this point in the season, but it hurt us today."
The Owls, who are in the midst of an eight-match streak against the conference, will next take on Stetson at 10 a.m. on Friday March 27 before hosting Florida Gulf Coast at 9 a.m. on Saturday morning.
USC Upstate 6
Kennesaw State 1
Doubles Results
1. Novo/Milovanovic def. Shkundina/Sergeychik (KSU) 8-3
2. Bello/Lazaro def. Palider/Cobos (KSU) 9-7
3. Lovela/Camberos def. Lindsay Dillon/Swindall 8-3
Singles Results
1. Anna Novo def. Vera Shkundina 5-7, 7-5, 6-0
2. Carolina Bello def. Ayano Tanaka 6-3, 6-1
3. Mercedes Cobos def. Emilia Milovanovic 6-4, 6-2
4. Daniela Lovera def. Agatha Palider 6-1, 6-1
5. Ccinthya Lazaro def. MacKenzie Swindall 6-3, 7-5
6. Ana-Sofia Camberos def. Alena Sergeychik 6-1, 6-4
