Results (HTML)

AUSTIN, Texas – The No. 35-ranked Northeastern State women's tennis team was victorious by an 8-1 decision Sunday afternoon against No. 46 St. Edward's on the Strohmeyer Varsity Courts.
 
The RiverHawks (9-4) added a fourth match to their season-best win streak, while the Hilltoppers dropped to 4-6 on the year. NSU swept singles competition and secured two of the doubles points to move past the home team.
 
Senior Houda Bellamine and freshman Maria Lodge were the first off in doubles play for the second-straight day, this time following an 8-0 win over Breanne Hesseltine and Tatiana Marchizano on the third court.
 
Junior Barbora Jirickova and sophomore Kristina Savchenkov swung doubles in favor of the visitors with an 8-3 triumph over Francesca Chaher and Summer Biggs on the second court. St. Edward's earned its lone point of the day at No. 1 doubles, where Sasha Khadzhyan and Rafaela Haegele got past senior Martina Bruzikova and freshman Valeriia Efimenko 8-4.
 
Jirickova opened singles with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Hesseltine on the fifth court, and Bruzikova bounced back from her doubles loss with a decisive 6-1, 6-1 victory over Chaher at the third position.
 
Savchenkov, the No. 49-ranked singles player in the nation, clinched the victory for Northeastern State at the top of the lineup with a 6-0, 7-6 (7-1) win over Khadzhyan. Sophomore Lucia Cerchlanova then found her way to a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Marchizano at No. 6 singles, and Efimenko defeated Haegele 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 on the second court.
 
Bellamine wrapped up the day with a 7-6 (7-0), 6-1 triumph over Biggs at the fourth position.
 
St. Edward's was without the services of top player Brooke Hughes, who is currently ranked No. 47 in the country and missing time due to an injury.
 
Northeastern State will wrap up its Texas Spring Break trip with an 10 a.m. match March 17 on the road at Tyler Junior College. The Apache Ladies are currently the No. 1-ranked junior college in the nation, and they are 14-3 this season. TJC's lone losses have come against NCAA Division I schools (Stephen F. Austin, Louisiana Tech, Houston).
 
Tennis Match Results
Mar 16, 2014 at Austin, Texas
(Strohmeyer Varsity Courts)
 
#35 Northeastern State 8, #46 St. Edward's 1
                                                            
Singles Competition
1. #49 Kristina Savchenkov (NSU) def. Sasha Khadzhyan (SEU) 6-0, 7-6 (7-1)
2. Valeriia Efimenko (NSU) def. Rafaela Haegele (SEU) 6-4, 3-6, 7-5
3. Martina Bruzikova (NSU) def. Francesca Chaher (SEU) 6-1, 6-1
4. Houda Bellamine (NSU) def. Summer Biggs (SEU) 7-6 (7-0), 6-1
5. Barbora Jirickova (NSU) def. Breanne Hesseltine (SEU) 6-1, 6-2
6. Lucia Cerchlanova (NSU) def. Tatiana Marchizano (SEU) 6-1, 6-0
 
Doubles Competition
1. Sasha Khadzhyan/Rafaela Haegele (SEU) def. Valeriia Efimenko/Martina Bruzikova (NSU) 8-4
2. Kristina Savchenkov/Barbora Jirickova (NSU) def. Francesca Chaher/Summer Biggs (SEU) 8-3
3. Houda Bellamine/Maria Lodge (NSU) def. Breanne Hesseltine/Tatiana Marchizano (SEU) 8-0
 
Match Notes:
Northeastern State 9-4; National Ranking #35
St. Edward's 4-6; National Ranking #46
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (5,3,1,6,2,4)
 
NORTHEASTERN STATE COACH AMANDA STONE
Statement…
"It's great to have our whole team on the court for the first time this season. We're not hitting on all cylinders yet, but the decisive win over a nationally-ranked team today makes a big statement to anyone who may have thought we were down this year. We have a tough test tomorrow, and I'm excited about the opportunity to compete against the top junior college team in the country."
 
-GoRiverHawksGo.com-