March 29, 2015

Women's Tennis Grinds Out 4-3 Win Over Nicholls

CORPUS CHRISTI – Junior Celia Rodriguez grinded out a 7-5 third-set win at No. 3 singles to lift the Texas A&M - Corpus Christi women's tennis team to a 4-3 victory over Nicholls (13-4, 6-1 SLC) today at the Thomas J. Henry Tennis Center. After dropping the doubles point, the Islanders (9-7, 3-3 SLC) battled back to win four singles matches and secure their third Southland Conference win of the season and hand Nicholls its first Southland loss of the season.

"I can't tell you how proud I am of these girls," Director of Tennis Steve Moore. "Not because they won, winning today was just a symptom. The root is their character and commitment to stay in the present, not judge themselves and keep competing each point like champions regardless of the outcome. That takes tremendous mental fortitude and to see your team do that makes you so proud as a coach. Nicholls has a tremendous team and this conference is the strongest I have ever seen. The parity is incredible.

"Today was a dogfight and every match from this point forward we expect a dogfight. A lot of respect for Nicholls for the way they fought as well. These were two teams that both deserved to win this dual match today. Goncalo and I talked about the way these girls went on the road to Louisiana and won, we knew the heart of this team."

In doubles play, junior Maider Martin and Rodriguez came up short, 8-2, to Stephanie Barnett and Klara Skopac in No. 1 doubles. The Colonels then clinched the point after Marie Aubert and Milou Pietersz topped the freshman-senior duo of Jelena Dzinic and Chelsea Horan, 8-2 at No. 2 doubles.

Nicholls then took a 2-0 lead after Barnett defeated sophomore Judit Vives 6-3, 6-2 at No. 1 singles. The Islanders then answered back with wins on courts five and four to knot the match 2-2. Sophomore Kerry Galhos won her eighth match in No. 5 singles with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Katia Jordan, before Martin secured her fifth straight match at No. 4 singles to improve to 12-3. The junior recorded a 6-4, 6-2 win over Milou Pietersz for the Islanders' second point of the day.

The Colonels pushed ahead after Isla Brock squeezed out a 6-1, 7-6 (5) win over Horan in No. 6 singles. With Nicholls holding a 3-2 match lead, the Islanders battled back to clinch the match. Dzinic picked up a 6-3 first-set win over Skopac in No. 2 singles, before grinding her way to a 7-5 second-set win to even the match at 3-3. Dzinic was trailing 5-3 in the second before winning four straight games to earn the victory.

The match then came down to Rodriguez and Aubert in No. 3 singles. Rodriguez garnered the first set 6-4, before dropping a 6-1 second-set loss. In the third, the two went neck-and-neck before tying at 5-5. The junior then rose up and won two consecutive games to clinch the set, 7-5. Rodriguez has now won four straight matches and holds an impressive 8-0 mark at No. 4 singles and a 9-3 overall record.

The Islanders will head back on the road for a pair of Southland matches next weekend. First up is Sam Houston State on Friday, April 3, in Huntsville, Texas, at 12 p.m., followed by a match in Beaumont, Texas, against Lamar on Saturday, April 4, at 1 p.m.

For all the latest on Islanders Tennis, like the team on Facebook (IslandersTennis) and follow them on Twitter and Instagram (@IslandersTennis). Fans can also receive updates on both teams by downloading the Islanders Front Row App at GoIslanders.com/frontrow.

Tennis Match Results

Nicholls vs. Texas A&M - Corpus Christi

3/29/2015 at Corpus Christi, Texas

Texas A&M - Corpus Christi 4, Nicholls 3

Singles competition

1. Stephanie Barnett (NICH) def. Judit Vives (AMCC) 6-3, 6-2

2. Jelena Dzinic (AMCC) def. Klara Skopac (NICH) 6-3, 7-5

3. Celia Rodriguez (AMCC) def. Marie Aubert (NICH) 6-4, 1-6, 7-5

4. Maider Martin (AMCC) def. Milou Pietersz (NICH) 6-4, 6-2

5. Kerry Galhos (AMCC) def. Katia Jordan (NICH) 6-2, 6-3

6. Isla Brock (NICH) def. Chelsea Horan (AMCC) 6-1, 7-6 (7-5)

Doubles competition