DENTON, Texas -For the first time in school history, WKU Tennis will be heading to the semifinals in a conference tournament as the Lady Toppers won a 4-3 thriller over No. 55 Marshall at the Waranch Tennis Complex Friday afternoon.
The victory for WKU (13-5) is the first time the Lady Toppers have ever won two matches in a conference tournament. Yesterday's victory over 11-seed Florida Atlantic in the first round was the first conference tournament win since 2001.
🎾🎥: "I really wanted to win because it was up to me. I really wanted to do it for my teammates, for my coach, so it was great!" -@WKUTennis pic.twitter.com/GcRm5VfxGd
-- Conference USA (@Conference_USA) April 21, 2017
No. 6 seed WKU once again won the doubles point to take a 1-0 lead over 3-seed Marshall (14-10). Freshmen Natalia De Ugarte and Cindy Oest stayed hot and won on court two, 6-1, pushing their record together to 13-5. On court one, Andreanna Christopoulou and Lisa Friess defeated the Thundering Herd's Rachael Morales and Maddie Silver, who are ranked as the 70th-best tandem in the country, by the same score to clinch doubles.
After clinching the doubles point, De Ugarte - in back-to-back days - picked up the first Lady Topper singles win at the No. 5 spot 6-1, 6-4. Christopoulou won another three-set match like yesterday outlasting Stephanie Smith 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.
With WKU up 3-0 in the overall match, Marshall went on a run starting on court two in straight sets. The Thundering Herd kept their momentum going winning on courts four and six in three-setters to tie it 3-all.
With it all coming down to each team's best player on court one, senior Elpida Malamou rose to the occasion winning in dramatic fashion over No. 117 Derya Turhan 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 to earn WKU the victory.
🚨 LIVE LOOK-IN:
It all comes down to Court #1 in this rivalry match! Tied at 3-3, who advances to the semis?? https://t.co/kRejDMHw7w- Conference USA (@Conference_USA) April 21, 2017
WKU will face No. 40 and 2-seed FIU (20-1) in the third round of the C-USA Championship tomorrow at noon. The Panthers are coming off a 4-0 win over 7-seed Charlotte in their second round match.
For more information on today's matches in the C-USA Women's Tennis Championship, click here.
Singles
- Elpida Malamou (WKU) def. #117 Derya Turhan (MAR) 6-3, 5-7, 6-4
- Maddie Silver (MAR) def. Monica Malinen (WKU) 6-2, 7-6 (7-4)
- Andreanna Christopoulou (WKU) def. Stephanie Smith (MAR) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
- Rachael Morales (MAR) def. Cindy Oest (WKU) 4-6, 7-6 (10-8), 6-1
- Natalia De Ugarte (WKU) def. Anna Pomyatinskaya (MAR) 6-1, 6-4
- Daniela Dankanych (MAR) def. Violetta Shatalova (WKU) 5-7, 7-6 (7-5), 6-1
Doubles
- Christopoulou/Friess (WKU) def. #70 Turhan/Pomyatinskaya (MAR) 6-1
- Oest/De Ugarte (WKU) def. Morales/Silver (MAR) 6-1
- Smith/Dankanych (MAR) vs. Shatalova/Malinen (WKU) 4-3, unfinished
