University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
Denver
Cajuns Reach SBC Finals With 4-1 Win
4/23/2011 9:50:00 PM | Women's Tennis
Under first year head coach Greg Harkins, the Cajuns advanced to the championship match for the seventh time in program history and will face No. 1 seed FIU on Sunday for a chance at their first Sun Belt title. The last time UL claimed a conference title was in 1990 when the Cajuns won their second consecutive American South Conference Title.
The Cajuns advanced to the SBC Tournament Championship match each year from 1992 through 1995 then again in 1997 and 1998.
"We are excited to be here," said Harkins. "The girls are really focused on where they want to take this team and this program. The momentum we've built up over this tournament has really helped fuel this team."
UL gained the lead early by earning the doubles point. Milou Israel and Briggitt Marcovich took down Elena Najera and Emma Isberg 8-3 at the No. 2 position, followed by the Cajuns' pair of Julie Mazinova and Audrey Wooland's 8-2 win over Denver's duo of Sophia Bergner and Steffi Rath at the No. 1 court.
"It's important for us to jump out and get the doubles point," added Harkins. "It carries over for us to the singles matches and helps feed the momentum."
Rath answered back for the Pioneers with a 6-3, 6-2 defeat of Mia Gordon on the No. 5 court, but the Cajuns put together back-to-back-to-back, straight set wins to clinch the match at the No. 2, 3 and 1 positions by Wooland, Marcovich and Mazinova, respectively.
FIU beat North Texas 4-3 on Saturday to move on to the championship match.
The women's championship match time is set for 1 p.m. Sunday at the Bruce David Lubel Memorial Tennis Courts on the campus of the University of South Alabama.
Tennis Match Results
Louisiana vs Denver Pioneers
Apr 23, 2011 at Mobile, Ala.
Louisiana 4, Denver Pioneers 1
Singles competition
1. Mazinova, Julie (UL) def. Sophia Bergner (DEN-W) 6-2, 6-4
2. Wooland, Audrey (UL) def. Elena Najera (DEN-W) 6-1, 6-2
3. Marcovich, Briggitt (UL) def. Emma Isberg (DEN-W) 7-5, 6-3
4. Caroline Schnell (DEN-W) vs. Israel, Milou (UL) 6-3, 5-1, unfinished
5. Steffi Rath (DEN-W) def. Gordon, Mia (UL) 6-3, 6-2
6. Gabriella Boboc (DEN-W) vs. Alhqvist, Sandra (UL) 4-6, 4-4, unfinished
Doubles competition
1. Mazinova, Julie/Wooland, Audrey (UL) def. Sophia Bergner/Steffi Rath (DEN-W) 8-2
2. Israel, Milou/Marcovich, Briggitt (UL) def. Elena Najera/Emma Isberg (DEN-W) 8-3
3. Caroline Schnell/Natalie Dunn (DEN-W) vs. Gordon, Mia/Alhqvist, Sandra (UL) 5-5, unfinished
Match Notes:
Louisiana 11-8
Denver Pioneers 9-14
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1); Singles (5,2,3,1)
