Bulls Defeat Army In Dramatic Fashion

Split weekend matches with Army and Temple

Smaranda Stan

WEST POINT, NY – The University at Buffalo women’s tennis team earned a split of their weekend matches defeating Army on Sunday morning in dramatic fashion, 4-3. On Saturday afternoon, the Bulls fell just short in a highly contested match against Temple, 5-2. The Bulls are now 4-2 on the season.

The Bulls began their two-match set against Temple on Saturday afternoon and started things off by taking the doubles point. UB’s number one team of Denise Harijanto (Jakarta, Indonesia) and Diana Popescu (Alexandria, Romania/AL. I. Cuza) one their match over Lucie Pazederova and Theresa Stangl, 9-7. UB’s senior duo of Andreea Novaceanu (Bucharest, Romania/Emil Racovita) and Tina Jacob (Singapore/Raffles JC) won their match at number three doubles, 8-3, over Anastaiisa Rukavyshnykova and Josephine Bergman.

In singles play, junior Smaranda Stan (Stantu Gheorghe, Romania/Economic) picked up the only victory for the Bulls, winning at fourth singles, 6-4,6-1 over Rukavyshnykova. UB fought hard in each match though as each of the first three singles matches went into three sets with Bulls winning the first set in each match.

Andreea Novaceanu

In their Sunday match against the host Black Knights, the two teams were locked in a 3-3 dual with just the number one singles match to be completed. Novaceanu was able to prevail in the match, winning a three-set thriller over Anne Houghton, 4-6, 6-4, 7-5. Army was able to claim the doubles point as the Bulls switched up their lineup a little for the match. Stan and sophomore Diana Toia (Rochester, NY/Brighton) moved up to number one singles and won their match over Houghton and Sarah Giles-Madden, 8-6.

In singles play against Army, UB won four of its six matches, including the Novaceanu victory. Popescu moved up to number two singles as she defeated Giles-Madden in straight sets, 6-1, 6-1. Stan also moved up one spot on the singles ladder as she won her match at number three singles, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, over Kristin Beehler. Jacob was also able to emerge victorious at number four singles, defeating Paige Ford, 6-4, 7-6 (2).

The Bulls will now head down to Florida for Spring Break matches. Specific dates and opponents are still to be determined.

Buffalo 4, Army 3

Doubles:
1. Smaranda Stan/Diana Toia (UB) def. Anne Houghton/Sarah Giles-Madden (Army), 8-6
2. Kristin Beehler/Paige Ford (Army) def. Andreea Novaceanu/Tina Jacob (UB), 8-2
3. Bridie Burke/Christine Limsiaco (Army) def. Aleksandra Petrova/Anna Subenkova (UB), 8-5

Singles:
1. Andreea Novaceau (UB) def. Anne Houghton (Army), 4-6, 6-4, 7-5
2. Diana Popescu (UB) def. Sarah Giles-Madden (Army), 6-1, 6-1
3. Smaranda Stan (UB) def. Kristin Beehler (Army), 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
4. Tina Jacob (UB) def. Paige Ford (Army), 6-4, 7-6 (2)
5. Diana Alquero (Army) def. Diana Toia (UB), 6-4, 6-3
6. Jurelle Mendoza (Army) def. Anna Subenkova (UB), 7-5, 6-3

Temple 5, Buffalo 2

Doubles
1. Harijanto/Popescu (UB) def. Pazderova/Stangl (TU) 9-7
2. Senkina/Steiner (TU) def. Toia/Stan (UB) 8-4
3. Novaceanu/Jacob (UB) def. Rukavyshnykova/Bergman (TU) 8-3

Singles
1. Elyse Steiner (TU) def. Andreea Novaceanu (UB) 2-6, 7-5, 6-2
2. Dina Senkina (TU) def. Denise Harijanto (UB) 2-6, 6-4, 6-4
3. Lucie Pazderova (TU) def. Diana Popescu (UB) 5-7, 7-5, 7-5
4. Smaranda Stan (UB) def. Anastaiisa Rukavyshnykova (TU) 6-4, 6-1
5. Josephine Bergman (TU) def. Tina Jacob (UB) 6-1, 6-1
6. Felicia Frazier (TU) def. Anna Subenkova (UB) 6-2, 6-2

03/02/2008