Tennis Wraps Up Regular Season With Clutch Win
04/17/04 | Women's Tennis
MALIBU, Calif. ? The Oregon women's tennis team finished off the regular season defeating No. 36 Pepperdine, 4-3. The win marked the fourth, 4-3 victory in a row for the No. 34 Ducks (16-8, 2-6), giving them the fourth highest win total in program history.
In doubles, it was all Oregon, as they swept all three positions. The No. 43-ranked tandem of Daria Panova and Courtney Nagle got things started with an 8-3 victory over Pepperdine's Carolina Raba and Charlotte Vernaz.
At the No. 2 position, Anna Leksinska and Dominika Dieskova won their 18th match of the season, defeating Karin Schlapbach and Eva Dickies, 8-5. Oregon's Davina Mendiburu and Ester Bak won at the No. 3 spot, taking down Natalie Braverman and Lise Sissler, 8-5.
In singles, Pepperdine gave Oregon all it could handle, but Mendiburu provided the Ducks with the equalizer. Down one set, Mendiburu defeated Schlapbach, 2-6, 7-6, 6-2, to clinch the match for Oregon.
After tough losses against Long Beach State, No. 7 Panova and Leksinska rebounded with two big wins. Panova defeated No. 33 Braverman, 6-3, 2-6, 6-4, while Leksinska took care of Dickies, 6-4, 7-5. Panova is now 29-11 on the season while Leksinska is 17-10.
"There is not enough you can say about the way the team performed today," Oregon head coach Nils Schyllander said. "Davina had to save three match points and the rest of the team played with tremendous heart. It was a phenomenal way to end the regular season."
Up next for the Ducks is the Pac-10 Conference Tournament in Ojai, Calif., April 22-25.
No. 34 Oregon 4, No. 36 Pepperdine 3
Malibu, Calif.
April 17
Doubles
1. (43) Panova/Nagle (UO) def. Raba/Vernaz (PU) 8-3
2. Leksinska/Dieskova (UO) def. Schlapbach/Dickies (PU) 8-5
3. Mendiburu/Bak (UO) def. Braverman/Sissler (PU) 8-5
Singles
1. (7) Daria Panova (UO) def. (33) Natalie Braverman (PU) 6-3, 2-6, 6-4
2. Caroline Raba (PU) def. (68) Dominika Dieskova (UO) 6-3, 6-0
3. Charlotte Vernaz (PU) def. Courtney Nagle (UO) 7-6, 6-7, 6-0
4. Davina Mendiburu (UO) def. Karin Schlapbach (UP) 2-6, 7-6, 6-2
5. Anna Leksinska (UO) def. Eva Dickies (UP) 6-4, 7-5
6. Lise Sissler (UP) def. Ester Bak (UO) 6-4, 6-1
Players Mentioned
