University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Wednesday, February 19
Cajun Courts
2 p.m.
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
3
vs
4
Southeastern Louisiana
Young Cajuns Edged By Southeastern In Women's Tennis, 4-3
2/19/2014 8:06:00 PM | Women's Tennis
Cajuns go three sets against defending Southland champs in four matches
LAFAYETTE – Nelo Phiri, Alexandra Way and Juliette Clement each earned singles victories for the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns women's tennis team, but Southeastern Louisiana claimed two of the final three singles matches of the day to earn a hard-fought 4-3 decision over the Cajuns on Wednesday at Cajun Courts.
Louisiana (3-5), which dropped its third consecutive match, battled the defending Southland Conference regular-season champion Lions (3-1) point-for-point with four of the six singles matches going to a third set.
"What tremendous spirit from both teams today, but give credit to Southeastern for coming through in the clutch to win the match," head coach Greg Harkins said. "Individually, I thought Nelo Phiri, Juliette Clement and Alex Way lead the charge and gave us an opportunity to win the match.
"We are working through some growing pains as a team, which is to be expected from a young squad, but the level of competition today was extremely high from beginning to end. We had a glimpse of what we can be if we continue to improve, which is what we work on every day. "
After Southeastern earned the doubles point for a 1-0 lead, claiming matches at No. 1 and No. 2, the Cajuns quickly answered as Phiri earned a straight-set victory at No. 2 singles, defeating SLU's Nastya Tokareva, 6-1, 7-5.
The Cajuns would rally again as Clement forged a 2-2 tie for the Ragin' Cajuns at No. 5 singles, defeating Margaux Kaltenbacher, 6-2, 1-6, 6-3. But Southeastern would claim the next two matches as Renee Villarreal earned a 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 victory over Nicole Breaux at No. 1 and Valya Rusakova earned a 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 win over Melissa Burckhartt moments later at No. 4 to clinch the match for the Lions.
Way, who teamed with fellow freshman Julie Cremers to earn an 8-4 win at No. 3 doubles, recorded a 7-6 (8-6), 1-6, 6-4 win over Reginka Nychytailova at No. 3 singles to improve to 3-3 on the season.
The Cajuns will return to action on Saturday (Feb. 22) when it travels to Natchitoches to face Northwestern State (10 a.m.) and Prairie View (2 p.m.)
"Our goal is to continue to improve and play our best tennis at the (Sun Belt) conference championships in April," Harkins said. "We got better as a team today and we will be tested again against a tough Northwestern State squad on Saturday."
Southeastern Louisiana 4, Louisiana 3
Singles competition
1. Renee Villarreal (SLU) def. Nicole Breaux (UL) 3-6, 6-2, 6-3
2. Nelo Phiri (UL) def. Nastya Tokareva (SLU) 6-1, 7-5
3. Alexandra Way (UL) def. Reginka Nychytailova (SLU) 7-6 (8-6), 1-6, 6-4
4. Valya Rusakova (SLU) def. Melissa Burckhartt (UL) 6-4, 5-7, 6-2
5. Juliette Clement (UL) def. Margaux Kaltenbacher (SLU) 6-2, 1-6, 6-3
6. Avika Sagwal (SLU) def. Julie Cremers (UL) 6-3, 6-1
Doubles competition
1. Reginka Nychytailova/Renee Villarreal (SLU) def. Nelo Phiri/Nicole Breaux (UL) 8-5
2. Anna Bryukhova/Valya Rusakova (SLU) def. Juliette Clement/Melissa Burckhartt (UL) 8-5
3. Julie Cremers/Alexandra Way (UL) def. Adriana Castillo/Margaux Kaltenbacher (SLU) 8-4
Match Notes:
Southeastern La. 3-1
Louisiana 3-5
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (2,6,5,1,4,3)
T-4:01 A-72
Louisiana (3-5), which dropped its third consecutive match, battled the defending Southland Conference regular-season champion Lions (3-1) point-for-point with four of the six singles matches going to a third set.
"What tremendous spirit from both teams today, but give credit to Southeastern for coming through in the clutch to win the match," head coach Greg Harkins said. "Individually, I thought Nelo Phiri, Juliette Clement and Alex Way lead the charge and gave us an opportunity to win the match.
"We are working through some growing pains as a team, which is to be expected from a young squad, but the level of competition today was extremely high from beginning to end. We had a glimpse of what we can be if we continue to improve, which is what we work on every day. "
After Southeastern earned the doubles point for a 1-0 lead, claiming matches at No. 1 and No. 2, the Cajuns quickly answered as Phiri earned a straight-set victory at No. 2 singles, defeating SLU's Nastya Tokareva, 6-1, 7-5.
The Cajuns would rally again as Clement forged a 2-2 tie for the Ragin' Cajuns at No. 5 singles, defeating Margaux Kaltenbacher, 6-2, 1-6, 6-3. But Southeastern would claim the next two matches as Renee Villarreal earned a 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 victory over Nicole Breaux at No. 1 and Valya Rusakova earned a 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 win over Melissa Burckhartt moments later at No. 4 to clinch the match for the Lions.
Way, who teamed with fellow freshman Julie Cremers to earn an 8-4 win at No. 3 doubles, recorded a 7-6 (8-6), 1-6, 6-4 win over Reginka Nychytailova at No. 3 singles to improve to 3-3 on the season.
The Cajuns will return to action on Saturday (Feb. 22) when it travels to Natchitoches to face Northwestern State (10 a.m.) and Prairie View (2 p.m.)
"Our goal is to continue to improve and play our best tennis at the (Sun Belt) conference championships in April," Harkins said. "We got better as a team today and we will be tested again against a tough Northwestern State squad on Saturday."
Southeastern Louisiana 4, Louisiana 3
Singles competition
1. Renee Villarreal (SLU) def. Nicole Breaux (UL) 3-6, 6-2, 6-3
2. Nelo Phiri (UL) def. Nastya Tokareva (SLU) 6-1, 7-5
3. Alexandra Way (UL) def. Reginka Nychytailova (SLU) 7-6 (8-6), 1-6, 6-4
4. Valya Rusakova (SLU) def. Melissa Burckhartt (UL) 6-4, 5-7, 6-2
5. Juliette Clement (UL) def. Margaux Kaltenbacher (SLU) 6-2, 1-6, 6-3
6. Avika Sagwal (SLU) def. Julie Cremers (UL) 6-3, 6-1
Doubles competition
1. Reginka Nychytailova/Renee Villarreal (SLU) def. Nelo Phiri/Nicole Breaux (UL) 8-5
2. Anna Bryukhova/Valya Rusakova (SLU) def. Juliette Clement/Melissa Burckhartt (UL) 8-5
3. Julie Cremers/Alexandra Way (UL) def. Adriana Castillo/Margaux Kaltenbacher (SLU) 8-4
Match Notes:
Southeastern La. 3-1
Louisiana 3-5
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (2,6,5,1,4,3)
T-4:01 A-72
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