University of Oregon
Utah
Ducks Clipped by Utes, 5-2
03/21/15 | Women's Tennis
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Oregon Ducks didn't resume Pac-12 play the way they wanted to Friday afternoon when Utah handed UO a 5-2 loss at the Eccles Tennis center.
How It Happened: Utah (5-10, 1-4 Pac-12) took the lead to start the match by winning the doubles point thanks to wins at the No. 2 and No. 3 slot.
In her return to the line-up Sofia Hager teamed up with Lina Åkesson, but was denied by Utah's pair of and Luisa Gerstner da Rosa and Elena Najera-Salas, 8-1.
UO's freshmen sensation pair of Nia Rose and Alyssa Tobita tied things up at 1-1 in doubles play when they bounced the No. 31-ranked Utah doubles pair of Tereza Bekerova and Margo Pletcher, 8-2, to pick up their 21st win of the season. However, Utah secured the doubles when Sarah Richter and Jena Cheng bested Marlou Kluiving and Nicole Long, 8-3.
The Utes would clinch the match in singles play when they reeled off four-straight to clinch the match. Paloma Gomez was the first to fall, losing to Alexia Petrovic 6-0, 6-2 while Rose wasn't able to fend off No. 53 Bekerova 6-2, 6-2. Rosa made it 4-0 in favor of Utah and clinched the match after she defeated Åkesson 7-5, 6-2 at the No. 5 position.
Long clawed back and forced a third set in her battle with Cheng at the No. 2 position, but couldn't finish the comeback and fell 6-3, 3-6, 6-0.
Tobita picked up her third-straight win and gave Oregon (7-5, 1-1 Pac-12) its first point of the game after Richter was retired from the match with Tobita leading 4-6, 6-4, 2-0.
Kluiving nearly saw her 11-match winning streak come to an end on Friday, but willed her way to a 5-7, 6-3, 10-2 victory over Pletcher. With the win, the sophomore was able to extend her win streak to 12-straight matches, and stayed undefeated in dual play. The win also gave Kluiving her 20th win of the season and sits at 20-2 on the year in singles.
The last Duck to win 20 matches in a season was Hager (23-13), ironically as sophomore just like Kluiving.
Up Next: The Ducks will have to wipe the loss from their memory quickly as they now head to Boulder, Colo., for a battle with No. 52 Colorado at 9 a.m. (PT) on Sunday
Utah 5, #60 Oregon 2
Salt Lake City, Utah
March 20, 2015
Eccles Tennis Center
Singles
1. No. 53 Tereza Bekerova (UT) def. Nia Rose (ORE) – 6-2, 6-2
2. Alyssa Tobita (ORE) def. Sarah Richter (UT) 4-6, 6-4, 2-0 (ret)
3. Jena Cheng (UT) def. Nicole Long (ORE) – 6-3, 3-6, 6-0
4. Marlou Kluiving (ORE) def. Margo Pletcher (UT) – 5-7, 6-3, 10-2
5. Luisa Gerstner da Rosa (UT) def. – Lina Åkesson (ORE) – 7-5, 6-2
6. Alexia Petrovic (UT) def. Paloma Gomez (ORE) – 6-0, 6-2
Order of Finish: 6, 1, 5, 3, 2 (Ret.), 4
Doubles
1. Rose/Tobita (ORE) def. No. 31 Bekerova/Pletcher (UT) 8-2
2. Richter/Cheng (UT) def. Long/Kluiving (ORE) – 8-3
3. Rosa/Najera (UT) def. Åkesson/Hager (ORE) – 8-1
Order of Finish: 3, 1, 2
Players Mentioned
