Feb. 20, 2008

Results

Just hours after moving up to No. 8 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's team rankings, the Baylor women's tennis team captured a 6-1 victory against 33rd-ranked TCU in their home-opener Wednesday at the Baylor Tennis Center.

Singles were played first as the start of the match was moved up one half hour due to a possible threat of rain, but the skies never opened and the Bears used a solid performance from top to bottom to pick up their sixth win of the season.

Freshman Karolina Filipiak earned her sixth consecutive win with a straight-sets victory (6-3, 6-3) over TCU's Idunn Hertzberg at the No. 6 singles spot. The win improved Filipiak's record to 16-7 overall, 5-0 in dual action.

"Karolina has been playing really strong for us right now I am proud of her and all the girls for taking care of business tonight," said head coach Joey Scrivano. "TCU is a great team and a very strong competitor and I wouldn't be surprised to see them move up in the standings over the next month or so."

Jana Bielikova earned Baylor's second point of the match with a 6-4, 6-3 win in No. 4 singles as she defeated the Horned Frogs' Kewa Nichols.

The remaining four singles matches were grueling, three-set matches that had both teams hanging on for a chance to keep their winning hopes alive.

TCU quickly battled back to earn a point at No. 3 singles, but the rest of the matches belonged to Baylor (6-1) as No. 18 Lenka Broosova, No. 24 Zuzana Zemenova and freshman Jelena Stanivuk won their third and deciding sets for the victory.

"Our girls never gave up tonight," said Scrivano. "I think they came out a little overly excited because it was the first match at home, but they were able to take control of the situation and get things finished. This team loves playing at home; they bleed green and gold, and we hope we can continue to build on tonight's strong finish so that we can be playing our best tennis come May when it really counts."

Although the victory had already been sealed for the Bears, the two teams returned to the courts to square off in doubles action to conclude the match.

Baylor and TCU split No. 1 and No. 3 doubles, placing point-pressure on Taylor Ormond and Stanivuk. The two came through for the Bears as Ormond and Stanivuk earned the point with an 8-6 victory.

The Bears will next be in action Saturday when the host No. 16 William & Mary. The match is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m. at the Baylor Tennis Center.

Singles competition

1. #24 Zuzana Zemenova (BU) def. Nina Munch-Soegaard (TCU) 4-6, 6-3, 6-4

2. #18 Lenka Broosova (BU) def. Macall Harkins (TCU) 6-2, 4-6, 6-3

3. Anna Sydorska (TCU) def. #22 Taylor Ormond (BU) 2-6, 6-2, 6-4

4. #37 Jana Bielikova (BU) def. Kewa Nichols (TCU) 6-4, 6-3

5. Jelena Stanivuk (BU) def. Katariina Tuohimaa (TCU) 4-6, 7-5, 6-1

6. Karolina Filipiak (BU) def. Idunn Hertzberg (TCU) 6-3, 6-3

Doubles competition

1. Macall Harkins/Anna Sydorska (TCU) def. Jana Bielikova/Karolina Filipiak (BU) 8-2

2. Taylor Ormond/Jelena Stanivuk (BU) def. Nina Munch-Soegaard/Katariina Tuohimaa (TCU) 8-6

3. Zuzana Chmelarova/Zuzana Zemenova (BU) def. Maria Babanova/Kewa Nichols (TCU) 8-1