2008 Woodie Awards
Women's tennis aces Wazzu
Jake Garcin
Issue date: 4/2/07 Section: Sports
- Page 1 of 1
The Boise State women’s tennis team is shooting for an NCAA tournament bid. In order to remain in contention for a post-season spot the Broncos must continue to improve upon their No. 48 ranking, however The women took a big stride in doing just that Sunday by defeating No. 39 nationally ranked Washington State University 5-2 in the Boas Indoor Tennis Complex.
“This match, in a sense, could be an NCAA elimination match,” BSU Head Coach Mark Tichenor said after the Bronco victory. “If we don’t win the last tournament this could be huge. This is one of the higher ranked teams we’ve beat in the last few years.”
The women got off to a good start last Sunday, winning an important doubles point by winning the No. 2 and 3 doubles matches. Tatiana Gauzha and Polina Kokoulina defeated Amy Toth and Anastesia Opata 8-3 to even the doubles score at 1-1. In the No. 3 doubles match Tiffany Coll and Klaudia Wlodarcyzk defeated Aleksandra Cekic and Aleksandra Stefanova 8-3 to give BSU the 2-1 advantage and win the doubles point for the dual.
“A couple weeks ago we told them they need to go all out with no regrets,” Tichenor said. “Whatever happens happens, then you get ready for the next match.”
The women entered singles play with a big advantage – already holding a 1-0 lead in the dual.
However, the Cougars would give BSU all it could handle through singles play. In the No. 1 singles match Ekaterina Burduli of WSU defeated Bianca Jochimsen 6-1, 6-2 to capture the first singles point of the day.
BSU rallied to win four of the other five singles matches, however, shutting the door on the Cougars 5-2. BSU won the No. 2, 4, 5 and 6 matches in singles play. Polina Kokoulina defeated Amy Toth 6-2, 6-3 in the No. 2 singles match.
“That’s why they train hard all year,” Tichenor said. “That’s why they run thousands of yards. That’s why they practice and sacrifice – to play a team like Washington State.”
The win improves the Broncos’ season record to 13-2, which should help move them up in the national rankings even further. The Cougars drop to 12-8 on the season and are only 1-4 in Pac-10 play thus far.
“To get them at home was so much better,” Tichenor said. “It’s so much easier than playing those teams on the road. It was just an awesome victory. It’s a team victory.”
Boise State 5 Washington State 2
Doubles
Ekaterina Burduli and Marjolein Van de Ven, WSU, def. Laura Baum and Jana Mackova, BSU, 8-4.
Tatiana Gauzha and Polina Kokoulina ,BSU, def. Amy Toth and Anastesia Opata, WSU, 8-3.
Tiffany Coll and Wlodanczyk, BSU, def. Aleksandra Cekic and Aleksandra Stefanova ,WSU, 8-3
Singles
Ekaterina Burduli, WSU, def. Bianca Jochimsen ,BSU, 6-1, 6-2
Polina Kokoulina, BSU, def. Amy Toth,WSU, 6-2, 6-3
Marjolein Van de Ven, WSU, def. Jana Mackova, BSU, 6-3, 6-4
Klaudia Wlodarcyzk, BSU, def. Aleksandra Cekic, WSU, 4-6, 6-2, 6-2
Stacey Housley, BSU, def. Aleksandra Stefanova, WSU, 3-4, 6-3, 7-6
Tiffany Coll, BSU, def. Anestesia Opata, WSU, 6-4, 6-1
“This match, in a sense, could be an NCAA elimination match,” BSU Head Coach Mark Tichenor said after the Bronco victory. “If we don’t win the last tournament this could be huge. This is one of the higher ranked teams we’ve beat in the last few years.”
The women got off to a good start last Sunday, winning an important doubles point by winning the No. 2 and 3 doubles matches. Tatiana Gauzha and Polina Kokoulina defeated Amy Toth and Anastesia Opata 8-3 to even the doubles score at 1-1. In the No. 3 doubles match Tiffany Coll and Klaudia Wlodarcyzk defeated Aleksandra Cekic and Aleksandra Stefanova 8-3 to give BSU the 2-1 advantage and win the doubles point for the dual.
“A couple weeks ago we told them they need to go all out with no regrets,” Tichenor said. “Whatever happens happens, then you get ready for the next match.”
The women entered singles play with a big advantage – already holding a 1-0 lead in the dual.
However, the Cougars would give BSU all it could handle through singles play. In the No. 1 singles match Ekaterina Burduli of WSU defeated Bianca Jochimsen 6-1, 6-2 to capture the first singles point of the day.
BSU rallied to win four of the other five singles matches, however, shutting the door on the Cougars 5-2. BSU won the No. 2, 4, 5 and 6 matches in singles play. Polina Kokoulina defeated Amy Toth 6-2, 6-3 in the No. 2 singles match.
“That’s why they train hard all year,” Tichenor said. “That’s why they run thousands of yards. That’s why they practice and sacrifice – to play a team like Washington State.”
The win improves the Broncos’ season record to 13-2, which should help move them up in the national rankings even further. The Cougars drop to 12-8 on the season and are only 1-4 in Pac-10 play thus far.
“To get them at home was so much better,” Tichenor said. “It’s so much easier than playing those teams on the road. It was just an awesome victory. It’s a team victory.”
Boise State 5 Washington State 2
Doubles
Ekaterina Burduli and Marjolein Van de Ven, WSU, def. Laura Baum and Jana Mackova, BSU, 8-4.
Tatiana Gauzha and Polina Kokoulina ,BSU, def. Amy Toth and Anastesia Opata, WSU, 8-3.
Tiffany Coll and Wlodanczyk, BSU, def. Aleksandra Cekic and Aleksandra Stefanova ,WSU, 8-3
Singles
Ekaterina Burduli, WSU, def. Bianca Jochimsen ,BSU, 6-1, 6-2
Polina Kokoulina, BSU, def. Amy Toth,WSU, 6-2, 6-3
Marjolein Van de Ven, WSU, def. Jana Mackova, BSU, 6-3, 6-4
Klaudia Wlodarcyzk, BSU, def. Aleksandra Cekic, WSU, 4-6, 6-2, 6-2
Stacey Housley, BSU, def. Aleksandra Stefanova, WSU, 3-4, 6-3, 7-6
Tiffany Coll, BSU, def. Anestesia Opata, WSU, 6-4, 6-1
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