Natalie Araya pulled out a three-set win at No. 2 singles Sunday against UALR.
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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Middle Tennessee women's tennis rallied after dropping the doubles point by winning five of the six singles matches to clinch a 5-2 Sun Belt Conference triumph at UALR Sunday morning in Little Rock, Ark.
"We played a very tough match today against a good UALR team," assistant coach Melissa Schaub said. "We fought through adversity in the beginning of the match and played extremely well to finish. Our players have worked so hard over the last year and it is all paying off."
The singles domination resulted in three-straight set victories and two in which the Blue Raiders had to come-from-behind for the win.
Carla Nava bounced back from her first loss of the season at the No. 1 spot to claim a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Anne Weijenborg. Marietta Bigus, who clinched Friday's win at Arkansas State, stayed perfect through the weekend with a 7-5, 6-4 decision against Nathalia Garay at the No. 5 position.
The last straight-set singles win for Middle Tennessee (5-0, 2-0 Sun Belt) came at No. 6, where Taylor Coffey defeated Rebecca Van Den Houte 6-3, 6-4.
Seniors Natalie Araya and Anna Djananova both trailed after their respective first sets before mounting comeback wins. Araya pulled out a 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 triumph over Yana Kakovkina, while Djananova knocked off Fanny Lopez 3-6, 6-1, 6-4.
"Overall, it was a really good day," said Djananova. "We came back and fought hard to get the win. Our energy and intensity during doubles was a little comfortable but we rebounded to play well in singles.
"It was just a matter of regrouping and we had to be prepared to be out there a long time. We all fought hard and got the job done."
In doubles action, the Blue Raiders were able to only earn one win in dropping the point to UALR (5-5, 0-1 Sun Belt). Middle Tennessee's lone victory was at the No. 2 slot with Djananova and Yuiri Nomoto picking up an 8-2 victory against Garay and Lopez.
The Blue Raiders will return to action at 1 p.m. Saturday when they play host to Marshall at the Nashboro Village Indoor Courts in Nashville, Tenn.
Middle Tennessee 5, UALR 2
Singles
No. 1 Carla Nava (MT) def. Anne Weijenborg (UALR) 6-1, 6-1
No. 2 Natalie Araya (MT) def. Yana Kakovkina (UALR) 4-6, 6-2, 6-1
No. 3 Veronique Luksich (UALR) def. Yuiri Nomoto (MT) 6-1, 6-1
No. 4 Anna Djananova (MT) def. Fanny Lopez (UALR) 3-6, 6-1, 6-4
No. 5 Marietta Bigus (MT) def. Nathalia Garay (UALR) 7-5, 6-4
No. 6 Taylor Coffey (MT) def. Rebecca Van Den Houte (UALR) 6-3, 6-4
Doubles
No. 1 Kakovkina/Weijenborg (UALR) def. Araya/Bigus (MT) 9-8 (2)
No. 2 Djananova/Nomoto (MT) def. Garay/Lopez (UALR) 8-2
No. 3 Luksich/Van Den Houte (UALR) def. Coffey/Alex Dachos (MT) 8-3
•••
JONESBORO, Ark. - Middle Tennessee women's tennis returned to the courts after a near two-week break and gutted out a hard-fought, 4-2 victory Friday evening at Arkansas State in the Sun Belt opener for both schools in Jonesboro, Ark., to remain perfect on the young season.
"We knew going in this match would be a complete dogfight," head coach Alison Ojeda said. "We trained harder than normal before our time off and had to battle through some injuries today. But, the best thing I can say about this match was it proved to us that our practices from the very beginning have been good and the day-in, day-out effort everyone gives pays off. Everyone has been accountable for their own hard work and it showed tonight."
The Blue Raiders captured two of the three doubles matches to take the opening point. The No. 2 pairing of Anna Djananova and Yuiri Nomoto began the trio of contests with a solid 8-2 win against the Red Wolves' Maria Aleman and Tina Ojdanic. Arkansas State (1-4, 0-1 Sun Belt) then bounced back to even the score with an 8-3 decision by Jenny Herring and Menna Kamal over MT's Taylor Coffey and Alex Dachos at the No. 3 spot.
The decisive point came down to a solid match at No. 1. The Blue Raiders' top tandem of Natalie Araya and Marietta Bigus prevailed by pulling out a 9-7 triumph against Elne Barnard and Rone van Wyk, clinching the point in Middle Tennessee's favor.
In singles action, the Blue Raiders earned three wins among the five matches which were completed to seal the victory. Because the match ended after midnight and Middle Tennessee (4-0, 1-0 Sun Belt) had already locked up the win, the No. 6 singles contest was called after Coffey took a 2-1 first set lead against Ojdanic.
Bigus clinched the match win for the Blue Raiders, fighting through a 7-5, 6-1 win at the No. 5 position against Aleman. The triumph kept Bigus undefeated on the season, one of two MT singles players to post unblemished 4-0 marks thus far.
The other perfect 4-0 ledger belongs to Nomoto, who competed at the No. 3 singles spot Friday. The freshman took her match to three sets after dropping the first set before garnering a 1-6, 6-4, 7-6 (5) triumph against van Wyk, the reigning Sun Belt Athlete of the Week. Coffey is also undefeated, owning a 3-0 mark despite her unfinished match against ASU.
Middle Tennessee picked up its final singles win at the No. 4 slot with Djananova handing Kamal a 6-2, 7-5 loss in straight sets.
"I could not be more proud of the effort we displayed today, fighting through much adversity. Yuiri proved to herself and showed what type of player she is capable of being in a very competitive match in a rowdy environment, especially during the third set. It truly showed what she is made of, and for a freshman to finish the job, was awesome to watch.
"Anna also battled through a tough match, especially in the second set. She had a 5-2 lead before her opponent came back to tie it. We talked briefly at the change and I assured her that she could do it. She gave it her all and it showed in the win."
The Blue Raiders top two singles players, Carla Nava at No. 1 and Natalie Araya at No. 2, both dropped their first matches of the campaign for the lone Red Wolves points.
Middle Tennessee will continue its road conference swing with an 8 a.m. Sunday match at UALR in Little Rock, Ark.
Middle Tennessee 4, Arkansas State 2
Singles
No. 1 Elne Barnard (ASU) def. Carla Nava (MT) 6-2, 6-4
No. 2 Jenny Herring (ASU) def. Natalie Araya (MT) 6-3, 6-2
No. 3 Yuiri Nomoto (MT) def. Rone van Wyk (ASU) 1-6, 6-4, 7-6 (5)
No. 4 Anna Djananova (MT) def. Menna Kamal (ASU) 6-2, 7-5
No. 5 Marietta Bigus (MT) def. Maria Aleman (ASU) 7-5, 6-1
No. 6 Taylor Coffey (MT) vs. Tina Ojdanic (ASU), 2-1 (unf.)
Doubles
No. 1 Araya/Bigus (MT) def. Barnard/van Wyk (ASU) 9-7
No. 2 Djananova/Nomoto (MT) def. Aleman/Ojdanic (ASU) 8-2
No. 3 Herring/Kamal (ASU) def. Coffey/Alex Dachos (MT) 8-3
•••
Men's tennis team falls to Mississippi State 4-3
STARKVILLE, Miss. – Middle Tennessee battled against the Bulldogs but fell 4-3 on Saturday afternoon.
Middle Tennessee began the match by cruising to the doubles point win taking a 1-0 lead in the match. Juniors John Peers and Kyle Wishing defeated George Coupland and Artem Ilyushin 8-1. Then sophomore Matthew Langley and junior Victor Melo gave Middle Tennessee the point with their 8-3 win over Antonio Lastre and Daniel Sanchez.
Mississippi State won two matches to begin singles play. Cowden fell 6-4, 6-1 to Ilyushin while No. 122 Lastre defeated McCann 6-2, 6-4 as the Bulldogs took a 2-1 lead.
Langley fell 7-5, 6-2 to Sanchez as MSU pulled ahead in the match 3-1.
Peers defeated No. 85 Coupland in three sets, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, to keep the Blue Raiders alive and make it a one-point match, 3-2.
The Bulldogs clinched the win as No. 64 Louis Cant defeated Melo in three sets, 6-3, 2-6, 6-4.
Freshman Shaun Waters rounded out play with a 7-5 win over Max Gregor Smith.
Middle Tennessee will be back in action on Tuesday, Feb. 23 when it plays matches with Brown and Tennessee Tech.
•••
Women's golf team defeats Toledo
Charleston, S.C. – The Middle Tennessee women’s golf team started off the season in winning fashion, winning against Toledo in a warm-up match for this weekend’s Kiawah Island Intercollegiate. The Blue Raiders were tied with the Rockets at 315 upon completion of the one round event, and moved on to win in the first hole of sudden death.
Senior Clara Leathers posted the low score on the day for Middle Tennessee with a 75. Freshman Olivia Love also provided a boost for the Blue Raiders, shooting a 77. Freshmen Stephanie Smith and Ashley Haggard shot an 81 and an 82, respectively.
Junior Morgan Hale recorded a bogey on the day while Leathers, Haggard and Smith notched the pars. Love recorded a birdie.
“I’m pleased with the overall play,” said head coach Chris Adams. “We need to work a little harder on accuracy, but the first time out allows us to get rid of some jitters before the big tournament. I’m definitely proud of how the team performed with the added pressure of a sudden death playoff.”
The Blue Raiders will open up play at the Kiawah Island Intercollegiate on Sunday. Live scoring will be available at www.golfstat.com as well as daily coverage at goblueraiders.com.
•••
Raider netters fall to South Florida
TAMPA, Fla. – Middle Tennessee fell to South Florida 5-2 on Friday night in its first match of the weekend.
The Bulls won the doubles point to begin play taking a 1-0 lead in the match. Middle Tennessee did pick-up one win in doubles as sophomore Richard Cowden and freshman Shaun Waters won their doubles match 8-1 over Jamal Adderley and Pukal.
Juniors John Peers and Victor Melo took the two wins for the Blue Raiders. Peers defeated Wael Kilani 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 while Melo won his match 6-1, 2-6, 6-3 over Adderley.
Langley also performed well for the Blue Raiders forcing a third set against Yannick Yoshizawa before falling 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.
Middle Tennessee will be back in action on Saturday, Feb. 20 when it travels to Mississippi State.
•••
Softball teams loses at Kennesaw State
WOODSTOCK, Ga. - The Middle Tennessee softball team lost the first two games of its 2010 season at the Phyllis Rafter Memorial tournament in Woodstock, Ga., taking losses to both Southern Illinois and Kennesaw State.
MT dropped the morning session game to the Salukis on a 8-1 decision. Pitcher Lindsey Vander Lugt was roughed up in the first contest of her senior campaign allowing 12 hits for seven runs, six of them earned and four strikeouts.
Vander Lugt was touched up three times for solo home-runs, but battled through some tough frames early without giving up the big inning. However, the Middle Tennessee offense was not strong enough to keep up with the high powered Salukis.
Junior Corrie Abel played well in her first game back from season injury in 2009, going 1-2 in the game with a walk and the lone Blue Raider run scored. She also reached on an error giving her a perfect on base percentage. Freshman Ashia Terry drove Abel in from third on a sacrifice fly to right giving the Murfreesboro, Tenn. native her first RBI of her collegiate career and the Blue Raider their lone run of the game.
"We came out stiff and anxious in the first game," said coach Sue Nevar. "The pitching was not where it needed to be in the first game. The umpire was calling a tight game and Lindsey might have been getting the pitches she is used to getting, but that is not an excuse."
The second game was not much kinder for Middle Tennessee as they fell to the host Kennesaw State Owls 11-1.
The squad came out with high intensity in the first two innings. The top of the second produced the lone Blue Raider run, scored by Freshman Nina Davenport in a pitch running situation for Kaycee Popham. Popham originally singled then advanced to second on a wild pitch before being pitch run for by Davenport. Junior Brittney Banania singled and a throwing error on the play by the Owl shortstop allowed for Davenport to score easily.
Unfortunately, Kennesaw quickly answered in the next half of the second putting two runs across on starter Caty Jutson deflating the Blue Raider momentum. Freshman Kristi Marquez made a spectacular double play to end the frame snagging a hotshot to the corner easily tagging third and then making the toss to first for complete the twin killing.
Freshman Janele Robinson would come in relief for Jutson in the third giving up eight runs, seven earned, and striking out one.
Overall decisiveness at the plate hurt the Middle Tennessee offense. With a strong off-speed hurling in Danielle Glosson tossing for SIU calling for patient at bats by the Blue Raiders followed by the attacking hard throwing Abbey Meixel of Kennesaw State. The hitters were not able to make the necessary adjustments between games.
"The intensity was not there at the end. We did not do a good job of finishing the innings. We must play every game like it is the top of the seventh and we are up by one. The intensity and attack cannot stop."
The team will return to action tomorrow at 10:30 a.m., as they face Alabama State followed by Western Illinois at 6:00 a.m. Full results and coverage will be available on goblueraiders.com.
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