TCU
No. 58 Alabama
Frogs Drop Late Lead To No. 58 Alabama
2/27/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Feb. 27, 2010
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The No. 32 Horned Frog women's tennis team lost Saturday's match with No. 58 Alabama, dropping a 4-3 decision at the University of Alabama Tennis Stadium. The Frogs were up 3-2 in the match, but posted losses on the final two singles courts, despite winning the opening set on each.
"We played solid in doubles and I think with the two new teams, we are heading in the right direction," TCU head coach Jefferson Hammond said. "We had a 3-2 lead and Alabama handled the pressure well and came away with the victory. You've got to give their kids credit, they hit some good shots in big situations."
TCU opened the match strong by taking the doubles point for the first time in nearly a month. A new-look lineup saw the Frogs' pounce to a quick victory on the No. 3 court, as junior Idunn Hertzberg and sophomore Gaby Mastromarino posted an 8-4 win over the Tide's Meritt Emery and Antonia Foehse.
Playing for the first time in 2010, senior Nina Munch-Soegaard and junior Maria Babanova clinched the point with an 8-5 decision against Paulina Bigos and Alice Tunaru from the middle position. The TCU pairing posted a 12-4 record a year ago and looked strong this afternoon.
Heading into singles action with a 1-0 lead, Alabama immediately jumps on the scoreboard with a straight-set victory from the sixth flight, as Tunaru dominated Babanova, 6-1, 6-2.
The Frogs would take the lead back from the No. 3 position, as No. 56 Katariina Tuohimaa won her third-straight match of the year. The Helsinki, Finland only needed two sets to handle Bigos, winning, 6-1, 6-3.
Moments later, Alabama knotted the score at 2-2 with a win from the second flight, as No. 68 Alexi Guarachi served TCU sophomore Kayla Duncan her fourth loss of the year, 7-5, 6-1.
Munch-Soegaard again gave TCU the lead in the match, moving the Frogs' one win away from defeating the Tide. The Amarillo, Texas native battled back to take the pivotal first set, only to drop the second frame. Driving for her second win of the week, Munch-Soegaard dominated No. 83 Courtney McLane in the final set, winning, 7-5, 3-6, 6-0.
TCU tried to ride the momentum from Munch-Soegaard's win, and with one set leads on the Nos. 4 and 5 courts, the Frogs looked as if they were poised to defeat Alabama for the first time ever, but Hertzberg and Mastromarino could not hold their advantages, dropping both matches to give away the match, 4-3.
TCU (1-6) will have to find a way to bounce back quickly, as they travel to Auburn Sunday for a Noon match. The Frogs will return to the Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center to host Texas A&M and Illinois on March 6-7, respectively.
No. 58 Alabama def. No. 32 TCU, 4-3
SINGLES
1. Nina Munch-Soegaard (TCU) def. No. 83 Courtney McLane (BAMA), 7-5, 3-6, 6-1
2. No. 68 Alexi Guarachi (BAMA) def. No. 78 Kayla Duncan (TCU), 7-5, 6-1
3. No. 56 Katariina Tuohimaa (TCU) def. Paulina Bigos (BAMA), 6-1, 6-3
4. Meritt Emery (BAMA) def. Idunn Hertzberg (TCU), 2-6, 6-3, 6-4
5. Antonia Foehse (BAMA) def. Gaby Mastromarino (TCU), 3-6, 6-3, 7-5
6. Alcie Tunaru (BAMA) def. Maria Babanova (TCU), 6-1, 6-2
Order of Finish: 6, 3, 2, 1, 5, 4*
DOUBLES
1. No. 51 Guarachi/McLane (BAMA) def. Duncan/Tuohimaa (TCU), 8-4
2. Babanova/Munch-Soegaard (TCU) def. Bigos/Tunaru (BAMA), 8-5
3. Hertzberg/Mastromarino (TCU) def. Emery/Foehse (BAMA), 8-4
Order of Finish: 3, 2*, 1
Players Mentioned
