By Lindsey Besecker
Assistant Sports Editor
t’s often hardest to get the ball rolling when it’s standing still. But the Pepperdine women’s tennis team got the push they needed on Tuesday, extending its momentum to Wednesday.
The lady Waves pulled off an upset of No. 13-ranked Northwestern on Tuesday, and promptly beat Wisconsin the following day. The Waves are hoping to keep momentum as they host Harvard Friday in their next match.
The Pepperdine women’s tennis team improved to 6-11 in dual action matches with theWisconsin and Northwestern wins.
The Waves defeated Wisconsin 6-1.
“We have a really tough schedule,” freshman Veronika Koksova said. “We came to the (Wisconsin) game and took the doubles and then took the singles.”
Then the Waves defeated Northwestern 4-3. Koksova clinched the last point for the Waves, downing Northwestern’s Andrea Yung 4-6, 6-4, 7-6. “It was pretty tough because it was hard to come back,” Koksova said. “It was really important.”
No. 1 singles Charlotte Vernaz defeated Marine Piriou 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. In No. 2 singles, Northwestern’s Lia Jackson triumphed over freshman Alexsandra Kujawska 6-4, 6-4, and Jackson’s teammate Jessica Rush defeated freshman Karin Schlapbach 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.
Junior Monika Horvath captured another point for the Waves, winning over Simona Petrutiu 2-6, 6-3, 6-1. Freshman Anna Andersson defeated Ruth Barnes 7-5, 6-3 in the No. 6 singles spot. Northwestern captured the doubles point, sweeping all three matches.
Piriou and Rush teamed up to defeat Koksova and Vernaz 8-3, while Jackson and Petrutiu downed a Pepperdine team of Horvath and Schlapbach 8-2. Schlapbach also teamed up with Andersson, losing to Barnes and Yung 8-4. “It was very important for us because we didn’t win for a long time,” Andersson said. “Everyone fought.”
Prior to the Northwestern match, the Waves lost to No. 19 USC 6-1 at the Marks Tennis Center in Los Angeles.
“We played over there and it was tough,” Andersson said. “They played well. I think we all want to forget the USC game.”
Koksova captured the only point for the Waves, defeating Melissa Esmero 2-6, 7-5, 6-2.
The Waves host Harvard tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. and San Diego State Wednesday at 2 p.m.
“As long as we all fight, everyone has their confidence back,” Andersson said. “I think that will help us get a win.”
March 28, 2002