Jayhawks Need Comeback to Beat Drake, 5-2

Kansas 5, Drake 2 Jayhawk Tennis Center // Lawrence, Kan.

Junior Paulina Los pulled-off a third-set comeback victory in singles to help the Jayhawks fight past Drake on Sunday after giving up the doubles point early. Doubles Results 1. Eggleston/Rebol (DU) def. Windom/Cardona (KU) 8-5 2. Kozulic/Johnson (DU) def. Fournier/Trubica (KU) 8-6 3. Los/Ludueña (KU) def. Boyd/Patterson (DU) 8-2 Order of Finish: 3, 1, 2 Singles Results 1. Klavdija Rebol (DU) def. Haley Fournier (KU) 6-2, 6-2 2. Maria Jose Cardona (KU) def. Lea Kozulic (DU) 6-1, 6-2 3. Maria Belen Ludueña (KU) vs. Evy Van Genechten (DU) 7-6 (5), 7-5 4. Paulina Los (KU) def. Jordan Eggleston (DU) 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 5. Dylan Windom (KU) def. Maddie Johnson (DU) 6-3, 7-5 6. Anastasija Trubica (KU) def. Nell Boyd (DU) 6-0, 6-4 Order of Finish: 1, 2, 5, 4, 6, 3

Feb. 24, 2013

LAWRENCE, Kan. – After giving up the doubles point early, the Kansas women’s tennis team fought back and won five of six singles matches to defeat Drake, 5-2, Sunday at Jayhawk Tennis Center.

“It was not too good of a performance during doubles, but I was proud of the girls for how they fought back in singles and created opportunities to win,” coach Amy Hall-Holt said. “We still have got to work hard and keep building this program.”

The Jayhawks dug themselves in a hole to start off, dropping the No. 1 and 2 doubles matches to the Bulldogs. Drake’s Jordan Eggleston and Klavdija Rebol defeated Dylan Windom and Maria Jose Cardona, 8-5, while Lea Kozulic and Maddie Johnson beat KU’s Haley Fournier and Anastasija Trubica, 8-6.

Singles was a different story for Kansas, who won every individual match except for the No. 1 spot. Cardona and Trubica, both freshmen, cruised past their opponents at the No. 2 and 6 positions, respectively–Cardona defeated Kozulic, 6-1, 6-2, while Trubica held off a late charge by Nell Boyd to win, 6-0, 6-4.

The middle three singles matches didn’t come as easy. Sophomore Maria Belen Ludueña won the longest match of the day at the No. 3 spot, fighting past Evy Van Genechten, 7-6(5), 7-5. Junior Paulina Los needed a three-set comeback to beat Jordan Eggleston, while Windom had a tough win in straight sets over Johnson, 6-3, 7-5.

“They have all had their moments,” Hall-Holt said. “With (tennis) being an individual sport, they all tend to step up at certain times of a match.”

The win comes one week after Hall-Holt praised the Jayhawks for nearly knocking-off a ranked College of Charleston team away from home. KU fell to the Southern Conference powerhouse Cougars, 4-3, a day after routing Charleston Southern during its weekend trip to Charleston, S.C.

“I felt that when we were in Charleston, we were definitely more solid as a team,” Hall-Holt said. “I think we had our moments today and luckily we were mature enough to step up at the right times.”

The Jayhawks improved to 4-2 in dual play this season with the victory, while Drake fell to 4-5 for 2013.

UP NEXT: Kansas is scheduled to face UMKC Wednesday (Feb. 27), with matches beginning at 3 p.m. at Jayhawk Tennis Center. Please read below for relevant information regarding the event, which is free and open to the public.

Stay tuned to KUAthletics.com for live scoring updates on all home matches in 2013.

WEATHER ISSUES: Local forecasts say that another winter storm could bring locally hazardous travel conditions throughout the region early this week. Please visit KUAthletics.com for any possible cancellations or schedule revisions regarding Kansas Athletics in the coming days.

Kansas’ home dual against Kentucky on Saturday was cancelled after heavy snowfalls crippled much of the state on Thursday and Friday. Hall-Holt said the match likely will not be made up later in the season.

The University of Kansas closed the Lawrence and Edwards campuses on both days after nearby locations reported almost one foot of snow, according to the National Weather Service.

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