University of Oregon
Minnesota
UO Falls To Minnesota, 4-3
01/31/15 | Women's Tennis
EUGENE, Ore. – The Oregon women's tennis team had an early doubles lead, but No. 72 Minnesota charged back in the first four singles matches to earn the 4-3 victory at the Student Tennis Center Saturday afternoon. The loss drops the Ducks to 1-1 on the season and improves the Golden Gophers to 3-2.
How It Happened: The Ducks began the match by winning the doubles point thanks to victories on courts one and two. The No. 1 team of Alyssa Tobita and Nia Rose started the day off on the right foot with a 6-2 victory over Tereza Brichacova and Mehvish Safdar.
Oregon clinched the point when Nicole Long and Marlou Kluiving pulled out the 6-4 win on court two over Minnesota's Paula Rincon-Otero and Julia Courter.
The Golden Gophers stormed back into the match in singles play and picked up three quick wins to take control of the day. Rose and Long both dropped their matches 6-2, 6-1 on courts one and two, respectively, to Brichacova and Caroline Ryba.
Just minutes later, Minnesota added to its lead (3-1) when Paula Rincon-Otero defeated Allie Hueffner 6-0, 6-2 at No. 6 singles.
The visitors clinched on court five when Lina Åkesson fell to Aria Lambert 6-2, 6-2, assuring Minnesota the victory.
The Ducks continued to battle, however, and Tobita earned her second singles win of the dual season when she gritted out a 3-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-6) win at No. 3 singles to put the overall match at 4-2.
Kluiving logged another victory for UO when she won 6-3, 7-5 on court four to give the Ducks their second singles victory of the day.
Battled Hard: Even though the match was decided midway through singles play, Tobita and Kluiving continued to fight and were eventually rewarded with victories. Both Ducks now have two singles wins in dual play on the year.
Quotable: Head Coach Alison Silverio
“We came out strong in doubles. We have been preparing all week for this home match, so it was a great way certainly to start the match. But we all know it's about the finish and Minnesota came out strong in singles, and they took it to us today in four of the spots.”
“I was really proud of our team with the last two matches, they really fought their way back into the match, and they got those victories for our team today.”
Next Up: The Ducks will stay at home next weekend and host Oklahoma at noon on Sunday, Feb. 8, at the Student Tennis Center.
Minnesota 4 – Oregon 3
Jan. 31, 2015 at Eugene, Ore.
Student Tennis Center
Doubles
1. Tobita/Rose (ORE) def. Brichacova/Safdar (MINN) 6-2
2. Long/Kluiving (ORE) def. Rincon-Otero/Courter (MINN) 6-4
3. K. Hueffner/Akesson (ORE) up on Mozia/Lambert (MINN) 5-4, Unfinished
Order of Finish: 1, 2
Singles
1. Tereza Brichacova (MINN) def. Nia Rose (ORE) 6-2, 6-1
2. Caroline Rybad (MINN) def. Nicole Long (ORE) 6-2, 6-1
3. Alyssa Tobita (ORE) def. Jessica Mozia (MINN) 3-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-6)
4. Marlou Kluiving (ORE) def. Maja Vujic (MINN) 6-3, 7-5
5. Aria Lambert (MINN) def. Lina Åkesson (ORE) 6-2, 6-2
6. Paula Rincon-Otero (MINN) def. Allie Hueffner (ORE) 6-0, 6-2
Order of Finish: 1, 2, 6, 5, 3, 4
Players Mentioned
