Smith Lifts KU to 4-3 Victory over Utah
Feb. 17, 2007
LAWRENCE, Kan. – With the score knotted at 3-3 and all eyes on the No. 6 singles match, junior Stephanie Smith defeated Jessica Carter in one of four three-set matches on the day, sending the University of Kansas tennis team to a thrilling 4-3 win over Utah on Saturday. <?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>
Smith’s victory, which came in a marathon dual that lasted more than seven hours, helped the Jayhawks (2-7) snap a streak of five straight losses After leading 5-0 in the first set, Utah’s Jessica Carter battled back to take a 6-7 (3) win and seemingly take control of the momentum. However, Smith, who was playing for just the third time this season following an ankle injury, dominated the next two sets, winning 6-0, 6-2.
Her heroics came after the opportunity for a much-needed win appeared to be slipping away from <?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>Kansas. Following victories in the No. 1 and No. 3 doubles contests to take the point, KU won two of the first three singles matches that were completed, getting victories from sophomores Edina Horvath and Yuliana Svistun to take a 3-1 advantage. However, junior Elizaveta Avdeeva, who had two match-points in the second set of her No. 1 matchup, slowly saw her lead slip away, eventually falling, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (5), 7-5, to the Utes’ Elizabeth Ferris.
Junior Lauren Hommell then came up short in a valiant comeback attempt in the third set of the No. 4 contest, allowing Utah to pull even with only the No. 6 match to be completed.
The Jayhawks won the doubles point for just the second time this season, with the other occasion coming in a 4-1 victory over Drake on the spring’s opening weekend.
Svistun’s singles win was the Ufa, Russia, natives fourth straight, and Kansas’ top doubles tandem of Avdeeva and Horvath improved to a team-best 7-2 on the season with its win in the No. 1 position.
KU will next be in action when it travels to OklahomaState on Feb. 24 to begin the bulk of its Big 12 conference schedule.
Results
Doubles
1) Avdeeva/Horvath (KU) def. Ferris/Walsh (Utah), 9-8 (5)
2) Kwok/Reveche (Utah) def. Dorn/Smith (KU), 8-3
3) Hommell/Svistun (KU) def. Bourdage/Maughan (Utah), 9-8 (6)
Singles
1) # 67 Elizabeth Ferris (Utah) def. Elizaveta Avdeeva (KU), 6-7 (5), 7-6 (5), 7-5
2) Emily Kwok (Utah) def. Kunigunda Dorn (KU), 6-3, 2-6, 6-2
3) Edina Horvath (KU) def. Leigh Walsh (Utah), 6-0, 6-0
4) Cheyenne Reveche (Utah) def. Lauren Hommell (KU), 6-4, 0-6, 7-5
5) Yuliana Svistun (KU) def. Andrea Maughan (Utah), 6-2, 6-3
6) Stephanie Smith (KU) def. Jessica Carter (Utah), 6-7 (3), 6-0, 6-2
