HOUSTON – The Texas A&M - Corpus Christi women's tennis team fell to No. 34 Houston today, 5-0, at John E. Hoff Courts. The Cougars (9-4) captured five straight-set singles matches to win their fifth consecutive match.
"We played a very good team today," Director of Tennis Steve Moore said. "That's a team that has spent a lot of time in the top 25 over the last several years. Matches like this are all part of the process. Teaching us what we need to do to beat the top teams in the nation and where we need to improve on to get there. This was a very tough match with a lot of close sets."
The Islanders (6-3) played several close sets with the Cougars. Sophomore Judit Vives fell in a second-set tiebreaker to No. 34-ranked Despoina Vogasari, who won the Texas Regionals in the fall. Junior Celia Rodriguez and sophomore Kerry Galhos each dropped close first sets at 7-5 while freshman Jelena Dzinic lost a tight 6-4 first set.
"We played tough and battled hard, we just didn't rise up at four-all and five-all and take the set," Moore said. "You are either winning or you are learning. This is the type of level team we have to beat to reach our goals, and we have two months to learn how to do that and make that improvement."
Junior Maider Martin fell to Rocio Martin 6-1, 6-1 at No. 4 singles to move her overall mark to 6-2. Houston followed with a straight-set win at No. 2 singles for its second point of the day. Elena Kordolaimi handed Rodriguez her first loss of the season with a close 7-5, 6-2 win. Rodriguez moves to 5-1 on the year in dual matches.
After a close back-and-forth battle in the first set at No. 6 singles, senior Chelsea Horan fell to Charlotte Phillips, 6-3, 6-2. The Cougars then clinched the match in the No. 3 spot with a straight-set win. Tina Rupert topped Dzinic, 6-4, 6-3 at No. 3 singles before Vives dropped a tough loss to Vogasari, 6-2, 7-6 (4) in the No. 1 slot to move her record to 5-2 on the year. In the final singles match, Galhos was edged out 7-5 in the first set to Maria Cardenas at No. 5 singles and was trailing 3-1 in the second when the match was concluded.
"Give Houston a lot of credit they are very good," Moore added. "Patrick Sullivan and his staff are a class act and if you are going to lose, I'd prefer it to be to someone who we respect like that. I'm excited about the future of this season with these girls."
The Islanders will remain on the road for their final non-conference match of the season. A&M - Corpus Christi will take on former Southland member UT Arlington on Tuesday, March 10.
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Tennis Match Results
Texas A&M - Corpus Christi vs. No. 34 Houston
3/4/2015 at Houston, Texas
No. 34 Houston 5, Texas A&M - Corpus Christi 0
Singles Competition
1. #34 Despoina Vogasari (UH) def. Judit Vives (AMCC) 6-2, 7-6 (7-4)
2. Elena Kordolaimi (UH) def. Celia Rodriguez (AMCC) 7-5, 6-2
3. Tina Rupert (UH) def. Jelena Dzinic (AMCC) 6-4, 6-3
4. Rocio Martin (UH) def. Maider Martin (AMCC) 6-1, 6-1
5. Maria Cardenas (UH) vs. Kerry Galhos (AMCC) 7-5, 3-1, unfinished
6. Charlotte Phillips (UH) def. Chelsea Horan (AMCC) 6-3, 6-2
Doubles Competition
1. Maider Martin/Celia Rodriguez (AMCC) vs. Elena Kordolaimi/Despoina Vogasari (UH) no result
2. Chelsea Horan/Jelena Dzinic (AMCC) vs. Maria Cardenas/Tina Rupert (UH) no result
3. Judit Vives/Kerry Galhos (AMCC) vs. Charlotte Phillips/Rocio Martin (UH) no result
Match Notes:
Texas A&M - Corpus Christi 6-3
Houston 9-4; National ranking #34
Order of finish: Doubles (); Singles (4,2,6,3,1)
