ABILENE - Where there's a wind, there's a way. And that's precisely what the Abilene Christian women's tennis team used to its advantage in defeating Southland Conference giants Nicholls and McNeese on an airy Saturday at the Eager Tennis Pavilion.
The Wildcats won their morning match against the Colonels, 5-2, and following a two-hour break, edged the Cowgirls, 4-3. The victories snapped a two-game losing streak and lifted ACU's season and conference records to 13-4 and 5-2.
The loss for Nicholls (10-6, 4-3 SLC) was its second in a row after winning eight of nine matches, while McNeese fell to 11-6 and 6-2 with its only other conference loss coming against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
Longtime ACU head tennis coach
Hutton Jones didn't want to reveal too many secrets following today's doubleheader sweep other than to say his girls (and guys) used a little 'crosswind magic.'
"On a regular day out here, we wouldn't be able to get away with some of those shots because the wind is usually blowing in from the north or south, but today it was going East-West," he said. "... And I know there are times when teams may be a little better than us, but if we do things a certain way then we'll find a way to win.
"My team bought into what I was telling them (about the weather) as well as that we don't always have to be the best team in order to win. But as long as we're tough and competitive, then we'll always be in range of victory. I was really impressed with Nicholls and McNeese is good at each position from 1 to 6, and we went toe-to-toe with both of them ... and that's been every match for us against the Southland Conference - a challenge."
Also key to victory today was the performance of all three doubles pairings, which earned two points in going a perfect 4-0. Sisters Kaysie and
Micah Hermsdorf won their No. 1 matches by scores of 8-1 and 8-3 in improving to 17-3, while the No. 2 tandem of
Brittney Reed and
Erin Walker helped clinch the point against McNeese by defeating Vivien Borbely and Anastasia Surkova, 8-2.
The No. 3 team of
Nada Marjanovic and
Emily Conrad had its match against McNeese vacated, but earlier in the day they defeated Nicholls' Marie Aubert and Kateryna Nakonechna, 8-4.
ACU's win-loss record in doubles is now 43-16 (.729) this spring and a staggering 38-9 (.809) in dual competition.
In singles competition today, the Wildcats were a combined 7-5 led by
Kaysie Hermsdorf, Marjanovic and Walker - each of whom were 2-0.
Kaysie Hermsdorf's first win at the No. 4 position against Nicholls' Kateryna Nakonechna was a three-set decision (6-4, 3-6, 6-1) that clinched the team victory for ACU, as at that point the Wildcats were hanging onto a 3-2 lead after splitting the first two singles' points. Her sister, Micah, then completed her rally at No. 1, coming back from a set down to top No. 102 Stephanie Barnett, 6-7, 6-3, 10-5.
Against McNeese, however, the top of the Wildcats' lineup was pitted against the Cowgirl trio of Klaudia Gawlik, Sara Castellano and Julia Kral, which was a combined 39-9 coming into this afternoon's match with identical 13-3 records.
Walker though walked right over Kral at No. 3, 6-1, 6-0 to give her team a 2-0 lead, which it would need as
Micah Hermsdorf at No. 1, and
Brittney Reed at No. 2, lost consecutive straight-set matches to Gawlik (6-2, 6-1) and Castellano (7-5, 6-0).
Kaysie Hermsdorf broke the 2-2 tie with her win at No. 4 over Borbely, 6-3, 6-3, but the Cowgirls answered at No. 6 as Annabelle Peacock defeated
Emily Conrad, 6-3, 6-2.
That turned everyone's attention to court No. 5, where sophomore
Nada Marjanovic continued her sensational season with a closely contested, 7-5, 7-5 victory over Surkova.
Marjanovic - who is 9-1 over her last 10 matches - leads all Wildcats with 16 wins and a .842 winning percentage.
"Hutton and the coaches did a good job getting us ready for these matches over the last few weeks," said
Micah Hermsdorf. "We came in mentally and physically prepared - it's how we got through this doubleheader - and we all fought it out until the very end, especially Nada in her last match and those of us who had close matches in the morning. I'm proud of all the girls on this team. Today's opposition was hard and really overpowering at times."
"Today was just another day at the office for our girls," added Jones. "This is what we do here. We play a match in the morning and another in the afternoon ... I scheduled these matches on purpose - and I know it could have backfired - but I believe in these girls. They are totally fit, and is there really a better way to prepare for a team like McNeese than to have a dress rehearsal against Nicholls?
"Most D-I coaches can't do this, but we can. And we do it to get better."
The Wildcats return to action next weekend for conference duals Saturday and Sunday vs. Sam Houston State and Lamar. The team will then play in Austin vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Wednesday, Aug. 16 before returning to Abilene on the 18th for their final home matches against Central Arkansas and Oral Roberts.
Abilene Christian University Tennis
Nicholls vs Abilene Christian (Apr 05, 2014)
Abilene Christian 5, Nicholls 2
Apr 05, 2014 at Abilene, Texas (Eager Tennis Pavilion)
Singles competition1.
Micah Hermsdorf (ACU) def. #102 Stephanie Barnett (NICH) 6-7, 6-3, 10-5
2. Marie Aubert (NICH) def.
Brittney Reed (ACU) 6-2, 6-3
3.
Erin Walker (ACU) def. Klara Skopac (NICH) 6-1, 6-2
4.
Kaysie Hermsdorf (ACU) def. Kateryna Nakonechna (NICH) 6-4, 3-6, 6-1
5. Isla Brock (NICH) def.
Emily Conrad (ACU) 6-1, 6-1
6.
Nada Marjanovic (ACU) def. Emma Kranendonk (NICH) 6-3, 6-1
Doubles competition1.
Kaysie Hermsdorf/
Micah Hermsdorf (ACU) def. Klara Skopac/Emma Kranendonk (NICH) 8-1
2.
Brittney Reed/
Erin Walker (ACU) vs. Stephanie Barnett/Isla Brock (NICH) 5-6, unfinished
3.
Nada Marjanovic/
Emily Conrad (ACU) def. Marie Aubert/Kateryna Nakonechna (NICH) 8-4
Match NotesNicholls 10-6 (4-3 SLC)
Abilene Christian 12-4 (4-2 SLC)
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (5,3,6,2,4,1)
Abilene Christian 4, McNeese 3
Apr 05, 2014 at Abilene, Texas (Eager Tennis Pavilion)
Singles competition1. Klaudia Gawlik (MCN) def.
Micah Hermsdorf (ACU) 6-2, 6-1
2. Sara Castellano (MCN) def.
Brittney Reed (ACU) 7-5, 6-0
3.
Erin Walker (ACU) def. Julia Kral (MCN) 6-1, 6-0
4.
Kaysie Hermsdorf (ACU) def. Vivien Borbely (MCN) 6-3, 6-3
5.
Nada Marjanovic (ACU) def. Anastasia Surkova (MCN) 7-5, 7-5
6. Annabelle Peacock (MCN) def.
Emily Conrad (ACU) 6-3, 6-2
Doubles competition1.
Kaysie Hermsdorf/
Micah Hermsdorf (ACU) def. Klaudia Gawlik/Sara Castellano (MCN) 8-3
2.
Brittney Reed/
Erin Walker (ACU) def. Vivien Borbely/Anastasia Surkova (MCN) 8-2
3.
Nada Marjanovic/
Emily Conrad (ACU) vs. Annabelle Peacock/Julia Kral (MCN) 6-4, unfinished
Match NotesMcNeese 11-6 (6-2 SLC)
Abilene Christian 13-4 (5-2 SLC)
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1); Singles (3,1,2,4,6,5)
