The University of Akron Athletics
Tennis Drops 5-2 Decision To West Virginia
February 17 | Women's Tennis
AKRON, Ohio – The University of Akron tennis team dropped a 5-2 decision to West Virginia on Saturday afternoon at LaTuchie Tennis Center. Despite the tally in the loss column, the Zips showed marked improved against the Mountaineers – who they lost to 7-0 last season.
The highlights of the day were the exceptional singles matches played by junior Tanyaradzwa Gombera and freshman Jeremie Benjamin at No. 2 and No. 6, respectively. Gombera played a near-flawless first set, 6-1, but her opponent responded in the second set 6-3. Gombera had the answer in the third, as she won her third-straight singles competition, with a 6-3 clincher. Benjamin ran her win streak to three-straight matches with a 7-5, 6-3 win in what was arguably her best showing of the season.
Akron struggled in the remaining singles matches, dropping all
four in straight sets. Amy Sherlock lost 6-3, 6-1 at No. 1, Carolina Castro Cota lost 6-1, 6-2 at No. 3, Lindsey
Berry fell 6-2, 6-4 at No. 4 and Alyssa
Carlson lost 6-0, 6-1 at No. 5.
In doubles, the Zips lost indoors at home for the first time since
the 2005-06 season. The first doubles pair of Sherlock and Castro
Cota played a sloppy service game to start the match and never
fully recovered, as 13 service holds followed for an 8-6 West
Virginia decision. Akron's No. 2 pair of Berry and Gombera were
out-gunned throughout the match as they fell 8-3. At No. 3,
Benjamin and Kerry Langworthy, dropped an early break but
responded to break back, but a loss of serve at 3-3 ended up
costing the Zips the match 8-6.
One remaining highlight for Akron was Langworthy's dominant
performance in a singles exhibition, where she won 8-3 over an
opponent that had beaten her 6-2, 6-3 in the semifinals of the 2006
West Virginia tournament.
With the loss, the Zips drop to 2-3 on the season, but have an
opportunity to even their record on Sunday when they play host to
IUPUI at 1 p.m. EST at the LaTuchie Tennis Center in nearby
Stow.
RESULTS
West Virginia 5, Akron 2
Doubles
1-Sherlock/Castro Cota (UA) lost to Percival/Prinz (WV) 8-6
2-Berry/Gombera (UA) lost to Lyskawa/Stephanie Lafortune (WV)
8-3
3-Benjamin/Langworthy (UA) lost to Pilsbury/Monique Burton (WV)
8-6
Singles
1-Amy Sherlock (UA) lost to Stacey Percival (WV)
6-3, 6-1
2-Tanyaradzwa Gombera (UA) def. Monica Lyskawa (WV)
6-1, 3-6, 6-3
3-Carolina Castro Cota (UA) lost to Natalia Prinz
(WV) 6-1, 6-2
4-Lindsey Berry (UA) lost to Colleen Speaker (WV)
6-2, 6-4
5-Alyssa Carlson (UA) lost to Ashley Pilsbury (WV)
6-0, 6-1
6-Jeremie Benjamin (UA) def. Gabriela Blaskovicova
(WV) 7-5, 6-3
Order of Finish
Doubles: 2, 1, 3
Singles: 1, 5, 3, 4, 2, 6
