Jan. 31, 2009

Stockton, Calif. - The Pacific women's tennis team battled through a six-hour marathon match against Nevada before falling 4-3 in the Tigers' first home match of the season on Saturday, Jan. 31.

The loss moved the Tigers to 1-3 on the season, while Nevada improved to 1-0 on the season.

The highlight of the six-hour match came at the No. 6 singles position. Tied at 3-3 following all other action, the Tigers and Wolfpack cheered on their final competitor through a four-hour individual match between Pacific sophomore Olga Gumenyuk (Kiev, Ukraine) and Nevada's Aodhnait Lombard. Gumenyuk took the first set 7-6 (3) in a thrilling tiebreaker, taking seven of the ten points. Lombard evened the match with a 6-4 win in the second set, then repeated the performance in the third set to earn the team victory for Nevada.

The Tigers got off to a good start in the match, capturing the doubles point with two victories. As singles play got started, sophomore Jenifer Widjaja (Sao Roque, Sao Paulo, Brazil) delivered a straight set win, 6-3, 6-4 at the No. 1 singles position to improve to 4-0 on the season and give Pacific a 2-0 lead.

Following three consecutive singles victories for the WolfPack, junior Svenja Arens (Bensberg, Germany) set up the critical match at the No. 6 spot with a 6-4 7-6 (1) victory over Caroline Stevens at the No. 4 slot.

The Tigers return to the court on Saturday, Feb. 7, when Pacific travels to Santa Clara, Calif. to face the Santa Clara Broncos at 1 p.m.

WOMEN'S TENNIS RESULTS
Nevada 4, Pacific 3
Jan 31, 2009
Stockton, Calif. (Hal Nelson Tennis Courts)

Doubles (Pacific wins doubles point, 2-1)
1. Jenifer Widjaja / Olga Gumenyuk (PAC) def. Caroline Bailly / Lais Ogata (NEV), 9-7
2. Florence De Vrye / Caroline Stevens def. Jolanta Twarowska / Sasha Fisher (PAC), 8-7 (5)
3. Svenja Arens / Kateryna Nezhura (PAC) def. Maria Hizyuk / Aodhnait Lombard (NEV), 8-3

Order of Finish
3, 1, 2

Singles
1. Jenifer Widjaja (PAC) def. Caroline Bailly (NEV), 6-3, 6-4
2. Florence De Vrye (NEV) def. Jolanta Twarowska (PAC), 6-3, 7-5
3. Lais Ogata (NEV) def. Kateryna Nezhura (PAC), 6-4, 7-5
4. Svenja Arens (PAC) def. Caroline Stevens (NEV), 6-4, 7-6 (1)
5. Maria Hizyuk def. Clara Schumacher (PAC), 7-6 (4), 6-2
6. Aodhnait Lombard (NEV) def. Olga Gumenyuk (PAC), 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-4

Order of Finish
1, 5, 2, 3, 4, 6