Walker's wins at No. 1 give women's tennis a 4-2 victory over Northwestern State

Women's Tennis | 3/30/2016 8:41:00 PM

ABILENE - Junior Erin Walker earned the deciding point at the top-line over Northwestern State's Natalya Krutova to push Abilene Christian's Southland Conference winning streak to three games Wednesday as the Wildcats held back the Lady Demons, 4-2, at the Eager Tennis Pavilion.

The win was ACU's first vs. the Lady Demons in three tries and lifted their season and league marks to 14-5 and 4-1. Northwestern State, meanwhile, slipped to 7-10 and 3-4.

"Everyone contributed in some way to this win, but Erin's response at No. 1 against a solid opponent was more than impressive," said head coach Hutton Jones. "It was nip and tuck the whole way and after she got knocked off the ladder in the second set, she got right back up there and delivered a 6-1 win in the third set to clinch."

Walker's scores were 7-5, 6-7 (6-8), 6-1. She is now 10-9 on the season, having won her last two conference matches at No. 1.

Walker also was successful today on the doubles court with partner Whitney Williams, winning a third-straight match together following a 6-3 decision over Krutova and Polina Ivanova. They were second off the court after the No. 3 duo of Nada Marjanovic and Andrea Crook crushed Ilijana Ivic and Barbora Kollarova, 6-1.

"It was nice to get that done and go into the break 1-0," said Jones. "I thought we were solid and impressive in doubles. We controlled that well."

ACU started singles with a 6-2, 6-1 win at No. 3 from sophomore Lucile Pothier over Polina Mutel for her ninth-straight victory, but the Lady Demons rallied to tie the score at 2-2 with straight-set wins at the No. 2 and 4 positions.

Williams then gave the Wildcats the lead for good with her sixth-straight win at No. 5, beating Barbora Kollarova in three sets 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, and Walker followed with her victory at No. 1.

Three of Williams' last six wins have come in three sets and she is now 12-5 on the spring.

The Wildcats return to action Friday for the start of a four-match, four-day Southland Conference road trip that will take them to Incarnate Word, Sam Houston, Lamar and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
 

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Abilene Christian 4, Northwestern State 2
Mar 30, 2016 at Abilene, Texas (Eager Tennis Pavilion)

Singles competition
1. Erin Walker (ACU) def. Natalya Krutova (NWST) 7-5, 6-7 (6-8), 6-1
2. Iryna Vardanian (NWST) def. Kaysie Hermsdorf (ACU) 6-3, 6-3
3. Lucile Pothier (ACU) def. Polina Mutel (NWST) 6-2, 6-1
4. Polina Ivanova (NWST) def. Nada Marjanovic (ACU) 6-4, 6-4
5. Whitney Williams (ACU) def. Barbora Kollarova (NWST) 6-2, 4-6, 6-3
6. Jordan Henry (ACU) vs. Alzbeta Veverkova (NWST) 6-3, 4-6, 4-4, unfinished

Doubles competition
1. Erin Walker/Whitney Williams (ACU) def. Polina Ivanova/Natalya Krutova (NWST) 6-3
2. Kaysie Hermsdorf/Lucile Pothier (ACU) vs. Polina Mutel/Iryna Vardanian (NWST) 3-4, unfinished
3. Nada Marjanovic/Andrea Crook (ACU) def. Ilijana Ivic/Barbora Kollarova (NWST) 6-1

Match Notes
Northwestern State 7-10 (3-4 SLC)
Abilene Christian 14-5 (4-1 SLC)
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1); Singles (3,2,4,5,1)
T-3:32 A-50