MOBILE, Ala. – The third-ranked team in the nation was too much for the Lewis-Clark State College women’s tennis team to handle at the second round of the 2012 NAIA Women’s Tennis National Championships on Wednesday morning. The No. 14-ranked Warriors fought but fell to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University 5-0.
Lewis-Clark State started the match off strong and caused some trouble for the Eagles during doubles play.
“Playing an early schedule against many [NCAA] Division I teams helped us prepare for the tournament,” said LCSC head coach Kai Fong. “We knew what we had to do in doubles and we made them [Embry-Riddle] adjust to our style of play. They adjusted and played just a little better towards the end to sweep all three.”
The Warriors dropped the Nos. 1, 2, and 3 doubles matches by scores of 8-4, 8-4, and 8-6, respectively.
“It’s always nice to see the coach from a top-five team hard at work on the court in doubles against us underdogs,” said Fong. “We were keeping the ball in play and way over the net.”
Unfortunately for LCSC, Embry-Riddle was able to make pretty quick work of two singles matches to earn the two points it needed to clinch the win. The Eagles are now 21-3 overall and advance to the quarterfinals to face Lindsey Wilson.
The loss brings LCSC’s season to a close with a final record of 8-15.
“This team has worked very hard to make it back to this tournament after missing it for the first time last season since the team format was introduced in 2000. I know we will work even harder next year to return to Mobile for another go at cracking the second round barrier. The experience of this team combined with a good recruiting class can make up some ground in getting this program to achieve more.”
The Warriors will lose only two seniors from this year’s squad, Marina Wold and Barb Sneckner.
Embry-Riddle 5, Lewis-Clark State 0
Singles competition
1. Yi Ching Chen (ERAU) vs. Dominika Jasova (LCSC) 6-2, 2-1, unfinished
2. Rocio Frej (ERAU) def. Dorothy Chong (LCSC) 6-1, 6-1
3. Ekaterina Kamendova (ERAU) def. Barb Sneckner (LCSC) 6-3, 6-1
4. Kristina Marova (ERAU) vs. Miranda Duggan (LCSC) 6-2, 3-4, unfinished
5. Josefine Strom (ERAU) vs. Samantha Teigen (LCSC) 6-6, unfinished
6. Paola Montero (ERAU) vs. Marina Wold (LCSC) 6-0, 5-1, unfinished
Doubles competition
1. Yi Ching Chen/Josefine Strom (ERAU) def. Dominika Jasova/Dorothy Chong (LCSC) 8-4
2. Rocio Frej/Ekaterina Kamendova (ERAU) def. Barb Sneckner/Miranda Duggan (LCSC) 8-4
3. Kristina Marova/Paola Montero (ERAU) def. Samantha Teigen/Bryn Oliveria (LCSC) 8-6
