NATCHITOCHES, La. – In its first Southland Conference test of the season, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi women's tennis team took down defending champions Northwestern State, 5-2 on the road, to set a new mark for the best start in program history at 10-0.
The Islanders faced a huge test against the Demons (5-8, 1-2 SLC) in one of the toughest environments in the Southland. That challenge grew when the Islanders dropped the doubles point in a tiebreaker to open the match, but the Blue and Green was up to task, rallying back with five singles wins to take the 5-2 decision.
DOUBLES FALL FOR FIRST TIME
In it's record-breaking start, A&M-Corpus Christi had won each of the eight doubles points contested on the season. Monday brought that roll to a halt, but it wouldn't stop the Islanders in the conference opener.
Hortense Boscher and Alexandra Belle got doubles action off to a solid start for the Blue and Green with a win in the No. 3 match. Boscher and Belle defeated Babora Kollarova and Ilijana Ivic 6-2 to open the match, running the all-French duo's record to 8-0 on the season.
The Demons would rally on the top two courts, as Judit Vives and Jelena Dzinic fell in a hard-fought, 6-4 match at No. 1 and Celia Rodriguez and Maider Martin dropped a doubles match for just the second time this season. Rodriguez and Martin battled all the way into a tiebreak at 6-6 with their Northwestern State foes, falling 7-4 in the tibreaker.
SINGLES MOUNT COMEBACK
Down 1-0 on the road and facing a deficit for the first time this season, the Blue and Green could have easily succumbed to the pressure of 172 hostile fans. Instead, the Islanders mounted a furious rally, claiming five of the six singles matches to win the match 5-2.
A senior, Rodriguez leveled the match of the gate with a straight set victory at No. 4. With the 6-1, 6-1, win, Rodriguez remains undefeated in singles play at 10-0 on the season. Northwestern State rallied back with a match at No. 5 as Martin fell for the first time this season. Martin dropped her match 4-6, 3-6 as the Demons retook a 2-1 lead in the match.
That was as far as the Demons would go, as the Blue and Green won each of the remaining four singles matches in straight sets. Kerry Galhos was the next to finish as the Islanders once again leveled the match. Playing at No. 6, Galhos reeled off a 6-2, 6-1 win to bring the score to 2-2 overall.
The Islanders pulled within a point of clinching the match when Judit Vives wrapped up her match of the third court. Vives bested Polina Mutel 6-3, 6-3, to improve to 8-0 in singles play this season. Just minutes later, Boscher clinched the match with her win at the top of the order. Boscher took down Natalya Krutova with a score of 6-3, 7-5 to seal the Islanders' first Southland win of the season.
Dzinic closed the match with a win at No. 2 as the Islanders and Demons played out the final match. Dzinic emerged victorious with a 6-4, 6-4 score to push the final to 5-2.
TALKING WITH MOORE
On the Islanders' performance…
"Today was a tremendous display of fight, heart and character from our girls. We lost the doubles point as close as it can get and the girls regrouped, fought and competed like champions. I am very, very proud how resilient and tough these girls are."
On the challenge of playing at NSU….
"NSU is one of teams we have the most respect for every year. They are tremendously well coached and this is one of most intense and competitive environments in country. They have tremendous fans and it's just an incredible environment to play in. When you get that challenge, you have the choice to either rise up and compete with all your heart or let that atmosphere overwhelm you. Our girls really rose up and took the high road today. It took a tremendous effort from our girls to get this win today. "
On the rivalry with NSU…
"To me, these rivalry matches against NSU are what college tennis is all about. This match is always played with great intensity and produces a great environment. Even with all the intensity, it is always played with class and respect with Olga Bazhanova and Pat DuBois. I really salute them for that."
On the record-setting start…
Our philosophy is not to focus on numeric goals. We want to max out what we can control in every single match. Anything that happens record-wise is a symptom of that process. So we focus on that process and putting in extreme hard work every day."
