Feb. 9, 2007

The Eastern Washington University women's tennis team (1-4, 1-1 Big Sky Conference) battled and was able to keep the scores close in doubles play before falling to visiting and 47th-ranked Sacramento State (2-1, 1-0 BSC) on Friday afternoon (Feb. 9) by a 7-0 score. The Hornets are currently the highest-ranked team on Eastern's schedule.

In doubles play, the Hornet pair of Cecilia Helland and Katrina Zheltova took the first match to finish, topping Eastern's duo of Amanda Mankovits and Iliana Petrova, 8-3, on the second court. The Eagles were still battling on the other two courts and, at one point, were down, 7-6, at one and, 7-4, on two but were not successful in their respective comeback bids.

Sacramento State secured the doubles point when its No. 3 team of Anastassia Lyssenko and Aileen Tsan toppled Rachel Berger and Marie Demerath, 8-4. The Hornets completed the doubles sweep when its top team of Joyce Martinez Gutierrez and Luba Schifris were able to outlast Kerstyn Dolack and Kasey Knox by an 8-6 score.

The Hornets were able to quickly earn the team victory with wins at Nos. 1, 3 and 2 singles, each in straight sets. After the contest on the fourth court ended, the matches on the fifth and sixth courts were decided by use of single pro sets.

Eastern Washington now takes two weeks off from competition before playing host to Idaho at 10 a.m. on Feb. 24. The Vandals are 0-1 with five matches to play between now and then.

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#47 Sacramento State at Eastern Washington

Sacramento State 7, Eastern Washington 0

Feb. 9, 2007, at Cheney, Wash.

Singles competition

1. Katrina Zheltova (Sac) def. Kasey Knox (EWU), 6-1, 6-0

2. Aileen Tsan (Sac) def. Kerstyn Dolack (EWU), 6-1, 6-1

3. Luba Schifris (Sac) def. Rachel Berger (EWU), 6-2, 6-0

4. Joyce Martinez Gutierrez (Sac) def. Amanda Mankovits (EWU), 6-0, 6-0

5. Cecilia Helland (Sac) def. Marie Demerath (EWU), 8-0

6. Karina Jarlkaganova (Sac) def. Sayaka Yoshimoto (EWU), 8-4

Doubles competition

1. Joyce Martinez Gutierrez/Luba Schifris (Sac) def. Kerstyn Dolack/Kasey Knox (EWU), 8-6

2. Cecilia Helland/Katrina Zheltova (Sac) def. Amanda Mankovits/Iliana Petrova (EWU), 8-3

3. Anastassia Lyssenko/Aileen Tsan (Sac) def. Rachel Berger/Marie Demerath (EWU), 8-4

Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (1,3,2,4,5,6)