Final Stats
Feb. 13, 2015
MADISON, Wis. -- Despite locking up the match early in the evening, the Wisconsin women's tennis team fought hard to the very end, winning all three tiebreaks to finish off the visiting Akron Zips, 7-0.
In doubles, Lauren Chypyha and Maria Avgerinos teamed up to win 8-3 over Akron's Olga Shkundina and Karolina Maksimova, while Ekaterina Stepanova with Sydney Rider topped the Zips' Madison Cohen and Ariadna Blinova, 8-2 to take the doubles point.
Head coach Tina Samara was impressed by the victories, but also by the fight shown by the number one doubles pairing of Kelsey Grambeau and Lauren Burich after the doubles point had been decided.
"A great thing I thought in the doubles" Samara started, "after we won the doubles point, I feel like our No. 1 team still fought hard, they didn't get the win but they didn't just say 'oh we've already got the point'"
Samara was just as impressed with the singles matches that found themselves in the same situation.
"All those three singles matches could have done the same thing too" Samara explained, "because we had already won the match, so I think it says a lot about their fight. That says a lot about their character, you know, and that's something we've been working on, it's not something we've been perfect at, for sure, either because we won or already lost."
Among those singles matches was the impressive victory at No. 6 singles by Ekaterina Stepanova.
After winning the first set, 6-2, Stepanova fell in a hotly contested second set, 5-7, before going to a tiebreak to decide the third set. Stepanova took the tiebreak, 10-7, after coming back from down 3-1 early on.
Samara was also impressed with the freshman's resolve to not only finish her match, but also to win it.
"Kate (Ekaterina Stepanova), she's pushing through some issues" Samara explained, " I told her I could pull her off (early) because we have a match Sunday and she's like 'no.' It's a nice problem to have as long as she takes care of her body."
In No. 1 singles, Lauren Chypyha swept the Zips' Madison Cohen 6-0, 6-0, and was the first player off the court, securing the Badgers' second point early in the match.
Maria Avgerinos took the No. 2 singles flight, defeating Karolina Maksimova 6-3, 6-1, while Lauren Burich's match ended early after her opponent, Olga Shkundina, withdrew due to injury after Burich began 6-3, 2-1.
In the No. 5 singles flight, Kelsey Grambeau fought her way to victory over Akron's Sophia Geier, 6-3, 4-6, 1-0 (10-5).
Sydney Rider came from behind, losing the first set in a tiebreaker, 6-7 (6-3), to Akron's Martina Zerbola. However, Rider came back strong, winning the second set 6-1 before taking the tiebreaker, 10-2, to close out the match.
The Badgers host Utah State this Sunday at 10 a.m. at Nielsen Tennis Stadium. Admission is free to the public.
Wisconsin 7, Akron 0
Feb. 13, 2015
Nielsen Tennis Center
Singles:
1. Lauren Chypyha def. Madison Cohen 6-0, 6-0
2. Maria Avgerinos def. Karolina Maksimova 6-3, 6-1
3. Sydney Rider def. Martina Zerbola 6-7 (6-3), 6-1, 1-0 (10-2)
4. Lauren Burich def. Olga Shkundina 6-3, 2-1 -- Shkundina withdrew
5. Kelsey Grambeau def. Sophia Geier 6-3, 4-6, 1-0 (10-5)
6. Ekaterina Stepanova def. Ariadna Blinova 6-2, 5-7, 1-0 (10-7)
Doubles:
1. Geier/Zerbola def. Burich/Grambeau 8-6
2. Chypyha/Avgerinos def. Shkundina/Maksimova 8-3
3. Stepanova/Rider def. Cohen/Blinova 8-2
