Temple University Athletics
Women's Tennis Beats Columbia, 5-2
3.6.09 | Women's Tennis
March 6, 2009
NEW YORK, NY - The Temple women's tennis team won for the fourth time in its past five matches, including a pair over Ivy League foes, with a 5-2 victory at Columbia on Friday. The Owls won the doubles point and received singles victories in the final four positions to improve to 7-4.
"The team played extremely well in doubles and in the bottom of our singles lineup," head coach Steve Mauro said. "Josephine Bergman had an standout performance at #6 by winning 6-0, 6-0. This gives us momentum into our spring break trip against some quality opponents."
The Cherry and White won the doubles point by sweeping all three matches. Sophomores Theresa Stangl and Lucie Pazderova won 8-6 at #1, followed by juniors Christine Clermont and Anastasiia Rukavyshnykova at #2, who won 8-3. Junior Elyse Steiner and Bergman won 8-4 at #3.
Rukavyshnykova and Clermont continue to pile up victories in the middle of the lineup. Rukavyshnykova, the reigning A-10 Performer of the Week, won a tough three-set match, 6-4, 6-7, 10-7 over Eliza Matache. It is her fourth straight win and she is now 8-2 in her last 10 matches.
Clermont, who is 9-1 in her last 10, won 6-1 6-3 over Marlena Hall at #4. Her 15-3 singles record trails only Rukavyshnykova (16-4).
Senior Felicia Frazier, who won 6-0, 6-2 at #5, and Bergman, who won 6-0, 6-0 at #6 rounded out the lineup.
Steiner and Stangl had hard-fought losses at the top two spots. Steiner dropped a 6-4, 1-6, 14-12 match to Natasha Makarova at #1, while Stangl lost 6-4, 1-6, 10-7 match at #2 to Nicole Stanziola.
Columbia falls to 3-6.
Temple will head south for a week long spring break trip to Florida where the Owls will face several nationally ranked Division II teams. First up is #15 Barry on Monday at noon.
