University of Minnesota Athletics
Muravnik Clinches Gophers' Thrilling Win
2/20/2010 12:00:00 AM | Tennis
Freshman Doron Muravnik fought off four match points in the deciding match as Minnesota pulled out a thrilling 4-3 win over Oregon on Friday in Eugene, Ore.
The 52nd-ranked Gophers improved to 6-2 overall with their fourth 4-3 win of the season in their fifth one-point match of the year. It was the third meeting between the two schools with Minnesota winning for the second time. Oregon, ranked 74th nationally, fell to 5-3 for the season.
Muravnik lost her first set to Patricia Skowronski at No. 4 singles in a tiebreaker and battled back for a 6-7, 6-2, 7-5 win by fighting off four match points that would have given the Ducks the team victory. It was the second time this season she won a deciding match 7-5 in the third set to lift Minnesota to a 4-3 win, having done so earlier this year against Iowa State.
Oregon took the doubles point to take a 1-0 lead. After the Ducks won at No. 1 doubles, Minnesota got a victory from Tijana Koprivica and Jackie Sperling by an 8-5 score at No. 2 before Oregon took a win at No. 3 to clinch the point.
Minnesota won the first two singles matches to take a 2-1 lead with wins from Magdalena Wiecha over Mahdi Besovic 6-2, 6-0 at No. 6 and Alessandra Ferrazzi over Pavlina Smatova 6-2, 6-1 at No. 2. Trudie du Toit evened the match for Oregon with an 0-6, 6-3, 6-2 over Alexa Palen at No. 3 and the Ducks went ahead with a 6-4, 6-4 win by Emmanuelle Cor over Sperling at No. 5.
Koprivica put the Gophers in position to win by rallying for a three-set win over 96th-ranked Julia Metzger 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 at No. 1 singles before Muravnik's deciding victory.
Minnesota continues its west coast road trip by taking on 19th-ranked Washington on Sunday at 10 a.m. (pacific time).
#52 MINNESOTA 4, #73 OREGON 3
February 19, 2010 - Eugene, Ore.
Student Tennis Center
SINGLES
No. 1- Tijana Koprivica (MINN) def. Julia Metzger (ORE) 3-6, 6-4, 6-4
No. 2- Alessandra Ferrazzi (MINN) def. Pavlina Smatova (ORE) 6-2, 6-1
No. 3- Trudie du Toit (ORE) def. Alexa Palen (MINN) 0-6, 6-3, 6-2
No. 4- Doron Muravnik (MINN) def. Patricia Skowronski (ORE) 6-7, 6-2, 7-5
No. 5- Emmanuelle Cor (ORE) def. Jackie Sperling (MINN) 6-4, 6-4
No. 6- Magdalena Wiecha (MINN) def. Mahdi Besovic (ORE) 6-2, 6-0
Order of finish: 6, 2, 3, 5, 1, 4
DOUBLES
No. 1- Smatova/du Toit (ORE) def. Ferrazzi/Palen (MINN) 8-4
No. 2- Koprivica/Sperling (MINN) def. Metzger/Sabine Fuchs (ORE) 5-8
No. 3- Skowronski/Cor (ORE) def. Muravnik/Mariana Splica (MINN) 8-4
Order of finish: 1, 2, 3
Players Mentioned
