March 31, 2010

Cowley women’s tennis splits matches with NCAA Division II schools

With a break or two the No. 6-ranked Cowley College women’s tennis team could have won both its matches played in Emporia on Tuesday. Instead, the Lady Tigers had to settle for a split of the two matches vs. NCAA Division II opponents.

Cowley opened the day by taking on Washburn University. The Lady Tigers started fast by winning two of three doubles matches, but were not as fortunate in singles play.

Sophomore Adrijana Pavlovic picked up Cowley’s lone singles win as she avenged an earlier loss to Trang Le Nguyen in the fall by defeating Le Nguyen 6-0, 6-2.

Cowley had a chance to win the match but suffered three set defeats at both No. 3 and No. 4 singles.

Cowley put the loss behind them and went on to defeat Emporia State University by a score of 5-4. Once again, Cowley won two of three doubles matches. However, this time the Lady Tigers won the close singles matches and came away with the victory.

The No. 1 doubles team of Adrijana Pavlovic and Jamie Blackim, and No. 2 doubles team of Jessica Montemayor and Brittney Laner each went 2-0 on Tuesday.

“We got some good wins in doubles,” Cowley head coach Josh Cobble said. “Those doubles wins helped us win the match against Emporia State.”

Along with playing solid doubles, Pavlovic also went 2-0 at No. 1 singles. Another key to the win over Emporia State was the play of sophomores Jamie Blackim and Natalia Medina, who both rallied to win their singles matches.

After dropping the first set of her match against Whitley Zitsch in a tiebreaker, Blackim rallied to win the next two sets by scores of 6-4, 10-5.

“Jamie did a good job of battling through to win her match,” Cobble said.

Medina came back from a 5-0 deficit to defeat Emporia State’s Emily Huston in the first set of her No. 4 singles match. Medina then took the second set by a score of 6-2.

“That was a really good come from behind win for her,” Cobble said.

Cowley will now prepare to play four matches in two days when they take part in the Seminole (OK) Junior College Invitational on Friday and Saturday. The Lady Tigers will play No. 13-ranked Collin College Friday at noon before facing No. 10-ranked Seminole Junior College later that day at 4 p.m.

On Saturday, Cowley will play Barton County at 9 a.m. and No. 2-ranked Tyler Junior College at 1 p.m.

“We should have some momentum going into the weekend,” Cobble said. “This weekend will be a good test for us.”

Results vs. Washburn:
DOUBLES

• No. 1 — Adrijana Pavlovic/Jamie Blackim (CC) defeated Le Nguyen/Castillo (WU) 8-1.
  
• No. 2 — Jessica Montemayor/Brittney Laner (CC) defeated Rainey/Zitsch (WU) 9-7.
  
• No. 3 — Shannon Franz/Wrylie Finkle (CC) lost to Doole/Mikee (WU) 4-8.

SINGLES

• No. 1 — Pavlovic (CC) defeated Le Nguyen (WU) 6-3, 6-1.
  
• No. 2 — Montemayor (CC) lost to Rainey (WU) 1-6, 6-2, 5-10.
  
• No. 3 — Blackim (CC) lost to Zitsch (WU) 2-6, 6-3, 8-10.
  
• No. 4 — Natalia Medina (CC) lost to Castillo (WU) 1-6, 3-6.
  
• No. 5 — Finkle (CC) lost to Doole (WU) 2-6, 3-6.
  
• No. 6 — Franz (CC) lost to Mikee (WU) 0-6, 0-6.

Results vs. ESU:
DOUBLES

• No. 1 — Pavlovic/Blackim (CC) defeated Amanda Morris/Shelly Barger (ESU) 8-6.
  
• No. 2 — Montemayor/Laner (CC) defeated Talena Lorren/Alex Crowe (ESU) 8-4.
  
• No. 3 — Franz/Brittney Berryman (CC) lost to Emily Huston/Kirsten Ford (ESU) 4-8.

SINGLES

• No. 1 — Pavlovic (CC) defeated Lorren 6-0, 6-2.
  
• No. 2 — Montemayor (CC) lost to Morris (ESU) 3-6, 2-6.
  
• No. 3 — Blackim (CC) defeated Barger (ESU) 6-7, 6-4, 10-5.
  
• No. 4 — Medina (CC) defeated Huston (ESU) 7-6, 6-2.
  
• No. 5 — Laner (CC) lost to Ford (ESU) 3-6, 3-6.
  
• No. 6 — Berryman (CC) lost to Crowe (ESU) 4-6, 1-6.

EXHIBITION

• Franz (CC) defeated Sierra Lungren (ESU) 8-6.