University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Drop 4-3 Decision At Marshall
1/22/2011 12:00:00 AM | Tennis
The No. 72 Minnesota women's tennis team dropped it season-opening match 4-3 to No. 53 Marshall tonight in Huntington, W.Va. The Gophers play a neutral-site match at noon on Saturday against Kentucky before heading back to Minneapolis.
The Gophers and Thundering Herd split the six singles matches, but Marshall won two of the three doubles contests to earn the victory. Marshall improved to 3-0 on the year while Minnesota fell to 0-1.
Minnesota freshman Natallia Pintusava, who went 11-5 in the fall and is ranked No. 51 by the ITA, won her match at No. 1 singles, upsetting No. 27 Michaela Kissell in straight sets 6-3, 7-6.
The Gophers were also victorious at No. 2 singles, as senior Alessandra Ferrazzi defeated Dominika Zaprazna in three sets. Ferrazzi, who was named to the All-Big Ten Team last year, rallied to win 5-7, 6-1, 7-6.
Freshman Yuliana Umanets, who joined the team this month, earned Minnesota's third victory in singles play. The Ukraine native topped Kristina Koprcina 6-1, 5-7, 6-3 to earn her first collegiate win.
Umanets and Pintusava combined to win the Gophers' lone doubles match. The two freshmen won 8-5 against Catherine Kellner and Maria Voscekova.
Minnesota, who was 10-14 last season and 3-7 in the Big Ten, plays Kentucky tomorrow and then plays at Northwestern (Feb. 5) and Marquette (Feb. 6) before competing in its first home match of the year on Friday, Feb. 11 against Oklahoma.
1/21/2011 at Huntington, W.Va.
(Huntington Tennis Club)
No. 53 Marshall 4, No. 72 Minnesota 3
Singles competition
1. No. 51 Natallia Pintusava (MINN) def. No. 27 Michaela Kissell (MAR) 6-3, 7-6
2. Alessandra Ferrazzi (MINN) def. Dominika Zaprazna (MAR) 5-7, 6-1, 7-6
3. Catherine Kellner (MAR) def. Alexa Palen (MINN) 6-1, 6-0
4. Yuliana Umanets (MINN) def. Kristina Koprcina (MAR) 6-1, 5-7, 6-3
5. Maria Voscekova (MAR) def. Magdalena Wiecha (MINN) 6-3, 6-1
6. Kara Kucin (MAR) def. Peta Forsyth (MINN) 6-3, 6-0
Doubles competition
1. No. 63 Michaela Kissell/Dominika Zaprazna (MAR) def. No. 84 Alessandra Ferrazzi/Alexa Palen (MINN) 8-4
2. Natallia Pintusava/Yuliana Umanets (MINN) def. Catherine Kellner/Maria Voscekova (MAR) 8-5
3. Kara Kucin/Karli Timko (MAR) def. Mariana Spilca/Magdalena Wiecha (MINN) 8-4
Match Notes:
Minnesota 0-1; National ranking No. 72
Marshall 3-0; National ranking No. 53
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (3,5,1,6,2,4)
Players Mentioned
