AUSTIN - Following two straight weeks of hard-fought victories both home and away, the Abilene Christian men's and women's tennis teams Wednesday were stunned by their Southland Conference rivals from Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on the neutral courts of the Austin Tennis Academy.
The ACU women (15-5, 7-3 Southland) had its four-match winning streak snapped by the Islanders, 6-1, while the Wildcat men (12-10, 4-1 Southland) lost a shortened 4-1 decision for their first conference loss of the spring.
With the victory, the Corpus Christi men (16-9, 5-0 Southland) clinched the Southland Conference's regular-season title even though they and the Wildcats each have one conference dual left to play. ACU's final Southland match is Friday at 12:30 p.m. against Oral Roberts, while the Islanders will play host to New Orleans on April 21.
On the women's side, the Islander women (17-5, 9-1 Southland) moved two games ahead of the Wildcats and a half game in front of Northwestern State (15-5, 8-1 SLC) for first place. Corpus Christi's final two duals are against Incarnate Word (April 19) and New Orleans (April 21), while the Lady Demons still have Lamar (April 18), Sam Houston State (April 19) and Southeastern Louisiana (April 22) on their schedule.
McNeese State (13-6, 8-2 Southland) is one full game behind the Islanders with duals remaining against Southeastern Louisiana (April 18) and New Orleans (April 19).
Despite the appearance of the final score, today's women's match was incredibly competitive across singles and doubles. The Wildcats lost the doubles point for only the fifth time all season as its No. 1 and 3 teams were doubled up by an 8-4 margin, but the No. 2 team of
Erin Walker and
Brittney Reed emerged victorious, winning in convincing fashion over Celia Rodriguez and Maider Martin, 8-1.
That victory was Walker's and Reed's fourth straight and 16th of the season (16-7).
In singles, Martin and Rodriguez earned a small measure of revenge for that doubles loss. Martin outlasted Reed in three sets at No. 3, 5-7, 6-4, 10-7, while at No. 4, sophomore
Nada Marjanovic lost for only the fourth time all year, falling to Rodriguez in three sets, 6-2, 1-6, 6-2.
Senior
Micah Hermsdorf got her team on the scoreboard with two matches remaining after she held off Stefania Nicolae at No. 1, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, for her 16th singles victory and eighth against a Southland opponent.
The men's match began in the Wildcats favor as they won the doubles point with victories at No. 2 and 3. Sophomores
Marco Bensley and
Nicklas Wingord evened the doubles score at 1-1 with their 8-6 win at No. 3 over Javier Pujol and Ricardo Mayagoitia, and then the No. 2 team of sophomore
Jason Proctor and freshman
Nico Agritelley edged Matt Westmoreland and Paul Cook, 8-5, for their fourth-straight win together.
Singles, however, belonged to the Islanders as they swept the Wildcats in straight sets at the top three positions and at No. 6. The match was then halted after Corpus Christi recorded the fourth team point since the Wildcats had to make a 30-minute drive across town to play at 26th-ranked St. Edward's today at 4 p.m.
ACU's women's team returns to action Friday for what will be the final two home matches of seniors
Emily Conrad and
Micah Hermsdorf. The Wildcats will first battle Central Arkansas that morning at 9:30 a.m. followed by a 3 p.m. dual with Oral Roberts.
Texas A&M - Corpus Christi 6, Abilene Christian 1
4/16/2014 at Austin, Texas (Austin Tennis Academy)
Singles competition1.
Micah Hermsdorf (ACU) def. Stefania Nicolae (AMCC) 6-1, 3-6, 6-3
2. Judit Vives (AMCC) def.
Erin Walker (ACU) 6-4, 6-4
3. Maider Martin (AMCC) def.
Brittney Reed (ACU) 5-7, 6-4, 1-0 (10-7)
4. Celia Rodriguez (AMCC) def.
Nada Marjanovic (ACU) 6-2, 1-6, 6-2
5. Sandra Burges (AMCC) def.
Kaysie Hermsdorf (ACU) 6-4, 6-4
6. Kerry Galhos (AMCC) def.
Emily Conrad (ACU) 6-4, 6-3
Doubles competition1. Sandra Burges/Judit Vives (AMCC) def.
Kaysie Hermsdorf/
Micah Hermsdorf (ACU) 8-4
2.
Erin Walker/
Brittney Reed (ACU) def. Celia Rodriguez/Maider Martin (AMCC) 8-1
3. Stefania Nicolae/Kerry Galhos (AMCC) def.
Emily Conrad/
Nada Marjanovic (ACU) 8-4
Match NotesAbilene Christian 15-5, 7-3 SLC
Texas A&M - Corpus Christi 17-5, 9-1 SLC
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (5,6,4,2,1,3)
Texas A&M - Corpus Christi 4, Abilene Christian 1
4/16/2014 at Austin, Texas (Austin Tennis Academy)
Singles competition1. Peter Nagy (AMCC) def.
Borja Cortés (ACU) 6-3, 6-1
2. Ricardo Mayagoitia (AMCC) def.
Nicklas Wingord (ACU) 6-3, 6-3
3. Javier Pujol (AMCC) def.
Guilherme Gesser (ACU) 6-3, 6-3
4. Matt Westmoreland (AMCC) vs.
Nico Agritelley (ACU) 6-1, 2-4, unfinished
5. Guillaume Rauseo (AMCC) vs.
Jason Proctor (ACU) 6-3, 4-1, unfinished
6. Paul Cook (AMCC) def.
Marco Bensley (ACU) 6-1, 6-1
Doubles competition1. Guillaume Rauseo/Peter Nagy (AMCC) def.
Borja Cortés/
Guilherme Gesser (ACU) 8-2
2.
Jason Proctor/
Nico Agritelley (ACU) def. Matt Westmoreland/Paul Cook (AMCC) 8-5
3.
Marco Bensley/
Nicklas Wingord (ACU) def. Javier Pujol/Ricardo Mayagoitia (AMCC) 8-6
Match NotesAbilene Christian 12-10, 4-1 SLC
Texas A&M - Corpus Christi 16-9, 5-0 SLC
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (6,1,2,3)
