Doubles comeback sets stage for Wildcats' win at Lamar

Women's Tennis | 4/3/2016 10:10:00 PM

BEAUMONT, Texas – Abilene Christian women's tennis benefited from another improbable comeback victory involving Whitney Williams as the Wildcats received two wins from the sophomore en route to a 4-3 triumph over Lamar Sunday at the Thompson Family Tennis Center.
 
Just over a week ago at home vs. McNeese, Williams beat her opponent at No. 5 singles after trailing 5-2 in the second set, and today alongside junior Erin Walker, ACU's No. 1 doubles team stormed all the way back from a 5-2 deficit vs. Anna Spengler and Andrea Ivanovic to earn that crucial first point.
 
The pressure was firmly placed on Walker's and William's shoulders after the Wildcats' No. 2 tandem of senior Kaysie Hermsdorf and sophomore Lucile Pothier lost for the first time in close to a month (March 4 vs. Temple), snapping an eight-match winning streak. But ACU's No. 3 duo of senior Nada Marjanovic and Andrea Crook held on to beat Stephanie Marchena and Talisa Merchiers, 6-4, to give the Wildcats' an extra shot of momentum toward their comeback goal.
 
"You never know until the very end, but that great comeback at No. 1 doubles made all the difference in this match," said head coach Hutton Jones. "Kaysie and Lucile lose for the first time in a long time, and then all this drama begins to build as the No. 1's secure the doubles point after coming all the way back from being down 5-2."
 
ACU's singles outcomes followed a script similar to yesterday's victory at Incarnate Word as three-consecutive straight-set wins by Williams, Marjanovic and Pothier clinched today's match in a hurry.
 
Lamar briefly tied the score at 1-1 following Katya Lapayeva's 7-6 (6), 6-1 win over Walker, but then Williams and Marjanovic defeated their opposition at No. 5 and 4 by identical 6-3, 6-4 scores, and Pothier sealed the victory after doubling up Spengler, 6-3, 6-3.
 
Pothier and Williams are now 8-0 vs. Southland opposition and have winning streaks of 12 and nine matches, respectively, while Marjanovic has won her last three in improving to a team-best 19-4.
 
The Wildcats conclude their lengthy road trip Monday at 17-0 and first-place Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, which is 8-0 vs. the league. The Islanders – who haven't played a match since March 31 – have shut out their last three Southland Conference opponents: Lamar, Stephen F. Austin and Nicholls.
 

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Abilene Christian 4, Lamar University 3
Apr 03, 2016 at Beaumont, Texas (Thompson Family Tennis Center)
 
Singles competition
1. Katya Lapayeva (LU) def. Erin Walker (ACU) 7-6 (8-6), 6-1
2. Andrea Ivanovic (LU) def. Kaysie Hermsdorf (ACU) 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7-5)
3. Lucile Pothier (ACU) def. Anna Spengler (LU) 6-3, 6-3
4. Nada Marjanovic (ACU) def. Talisa Merchiers (LU) 6-3, 6-4
5. Whitney Williams (ACU) def. Stephanie Marchena (LU) 6-3, 6-4
6. Luciana Di Laura (LU) def. Jordan Henry (ACU) 6-4, 6-7 (2-7), 10-7
 
Doubles competition
1. Erin Walker/Whitney Williams (ACU) def. Anna Spengler/Andrea Ivanovic (LU) 7-5
2. Katya Lapayeva/Luciana Di Laura (LU) def. Kaysie Hermsdorf/Lucile Pothier (ACU) 6-3
3. Nada Marjanovic/Andrea Crook (ACU) def. Stephanie Marchena/Talisa Merchiers (LU) 6-4
 
Match Notes
Abilene Christian 17-5/7-1 SLC
Lamar University 9-9/4-5 SLC
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (1,5,4,3,2,6)
T-3:20 Hrs A-56