LUBBOCK, Texas – After a back-and-forth battle with several lead changes, No. 21 Sun Devil women's tennis dropped the regional championship match against No. 13 Texas Tech, 4-3, on Sunday afternoon at the ITA Kick-Off Weekend at McLeod Tennis Center.
The Devils (2-1) and the Red Raiders (2-1) were neck-and-neck all afternoon, with five out of six singles matches going to three sets.
"I thought today was a great college tennis match and unfortunately, we came out on the short end of it," said head coach Sheila McInerney. "We played great doubles again today and had a bit of momentum going into the singles. From then on it was a dogfight, as five matches went three sets. Both teams competed their hearts out and I was proud of our effort."
Senior Kassidy Jump and sophomore Sammi Hampton were the first to wrap up their doubles match on court three, swiftly overpowering Felicity Maltby and Gabriela Talaba of Texas Tech, 6-0. The pair never lost a point on the weekend in doubles, as they also won their doubles match on Saturday by a score of 6-0.
In the deciding match for the doubles point, senior Alexandra Osborne and junior Nicole Fossa-Huergo rolled past their opponents, 6-1, to give the Devils an early 1-0 lead heading into singles.
The Red Raiders earned their first point of the afternoon, as Fossa-Huergo dropped her singles match on court four to Alex Valenstein, 6-4, 6-1. Texas Tech would tack on two more with a victory on court one and court five. Jump -- ranked No. 63 in singles -- lost a back-and-forth nail biter with No. 26 Gabriela Talaba, and Saturday's hero -- freshman Savannah Slaysman -- also dropped a close match, .
Arizona State didn't go without a fight, however, as junior Kelley Anderson battled back from losing the first set to capture the final two, 6-1, 6-3, over Sarah Dvorak on court three. No. 49 Hampton also rallied from behind, as she picked up a key victory against No. 81 Felicity Maltby to tie the score at three a piece.
With the score knotted up at three for the second-straight match, senior Gussie O'Sullivan's battled on court six became the deciding factor. The Australia-native pulled ahead early on, winning her first set 6-4. After Katelyn Jackson captured the second 6-1, O'Sullivan fought hard in the final set before eventually succumbing to Jackson, 6-4.
The Red Raiders therefore earn an automatic birth to the ITA National Team Indoor Championship.
The Devils return home on February 17 to play Nevada. The meet begins at 1:30 p.m. MT and will be broadcasted live on the ASU Live Stream.
ITA Kick-Off Weekend
Lubbock, Texas
Jan. 28-29, 2017
Doubles:
1. Osborne/Fossa-Huergo (ASU) def. Kiro/Valenstein (TT): 6-1
2. Dvorak/Federici (TT) vs. Anderson/Slaysman (ASU): susp.
3. Jump/Hampton (ASU) def. Maltby/Talaba (TT): 6-0
Order of Finish: 3,1
Singles:
1. Talaba (TT) def. Jump (ASU): 3-6, 6-2, 6-4
2. Hampton (ASU) def. Maltby (TT): 6-7, 6-3, 6-3
3. Anderson (ASU) def. Dvorak (TT): 1-6, 6-1, 6-3
4. Valenstein (TT) def. Fossa-Huergo (ASU): 6-4, 6-1
5. Federici (TT) def. Slaysman (ASU): 6-4, 3-6, 6-3
6. Jackson (TT) def. O'Sullivan (ASU): 4-6, 6-1, 6-4
The Devils (2-1) and the Red Raiders (2-1) were neck-and-neck all afternoon, with five out of six singles matches going to three sets.
"I thought today was a great college tennis match and unfortunately, we came out on the short end of it," said head coach Sheila McInerney. "We played great doubles again today and had a bit of momentum going into the singles. From then on it was a dogfight, as five matches went three sets. Both teams competed their hearts out and I was proud of our effort."
Senior Kassidy Jump and sophomore Sammi Hampton were the first to wrap up their doubles match on court three, swiftly overpowering Felicity Maltby and Gabriela Talaba of Texas Tech, 6-0. The pair never lost a point on the weekend in doubles, as they also won their doubles match on Saturday by a score of 6-0.
In the deciding match for the doubles point, senior Alexandra Osborne and junior Nicole Fossa-Huergo rolled past their opponents, 6-1, to give the Devils an early 1-0 lead heading into singles.
The Red Raiders earned their first point of the afternoon, as Fossa-Huergo dropped her singles match on court four to Alex Valenstein, 6-4, 6-1. Texas Tech would tack on two more with a victory on court one and court five. Jump -- ranked No. 63 in singles -- lost a back-and-forth nail biter with No. 26 Gabriela Talaba, and Saturday's hero -- freshman Savannah Slaysman -- also dropped a close match, .
Arizona State didn't go without a fight, however, as junior Kelley Anderson battled back from losing the first set to capture the final two, 6-1, 6-3, over Sarah Dvorak on court three. No. 49 Hampton also rallied from behind, as she picked up a key victory against No. 81 Felicity Maltby to tie the score at three a piece.
With the score knotted up at three for the second-straight match, senior Gussie O'Sullivan's battled on court six became the deciding factor. The Australia-native pulled ahead early on, winning her first set 6-4. After Katelyn Jackson captured the second 6-1, O'Sullivan fought hard in the final set before eventually succumbing to Jackson, 6-4.
The Red Raiders therefore earn an automatic birth to the ITA National Team Indoor Championship.
The Devils return home on February 17 to play Nevada. The meet begins at 1:30 p.m. MT and will be broadcasted live on the ASU Live Stream.
ITA Kick-Off Weekend
Lubbock, Texas
Jan. 28-29, 2017
Doubles:
1. Osborne/Fossa-Huergo (ASU) def. Kiro/Valenstein (TT): 6-1
2. Dvorak/Federici (TT) vs. Anderson/Slaysman (ASU): susp.
3. Jump/Hampton (ASU) def. Maltby/Talaba (TT): 6-0
Order of Finish: 3,1
Singles:
1. Talaba (TT) def. Jump (ASU): 3-6, 6-2, 6-4
2. Hampton (ASU) def. Maltby (TT): 6-7, 6-3, 6-3
3. Anderson (ASU) def. Dvorak (TT): 1-6, 6-1, 6-3
4. Valenstein (TT) def. Fossa-Huergo (ASU): 6-4, 6-1
5. Federici (TT) def. Slaysman (ASU): 6-4, 3-6, 6-3
6. Jackson (TT) def. O'Sullivan (ASU): 4-6, 6-1, 6-4
Order of Finish: 4,3,1,5,2,6