By Lindsey Besecker
Assistant Sports Editor
The No. 42 Pepperdine women’s tennis team fell to 3-10 last week, losing matches to No. 4 Duke and No. 17 William & Mary.
“Our ranking now doesn’t show anything about where we are nationally,” freshman Aleksandra Kujawska said. “We have a very tough schedule this year, and we have a lot of matches, which is tiring.”
The Waves host Princeton Sunday at 1 p.m. and then travel to USC March 22 for a 1:30 p.m. match against the Trojans.
Last weekend, the Waves lost to Duke 6-1. Freshman Veronika Koksova captured the lone point for the Waves, defeating Katie Granson 6-3, 6-4 at the No. 5 spot.
Kelly McCain defeated freshman Charlotte Vernaz 6-4, 6-3, while Amanda Johnson downed Kujawska 6-1, 6-2.
Julie DeRoo of Duke trounced freshman Karin Schlapbach 6-2, 6-2, and freshman Anna Andersson lost to Ioana Plesu 6-1, 6-1. Saras Arasu captured the No. 6 singles point, downing freshman Ceyda Keyman 6-1, 6-2.
In doubles action, Duke teammates Hillary Adams and McCain defeated Kujawska and Schlapbach 8-2. DeRoo and Johnson teamed up to take down Koksova and Vernaz 8-6. Susie Abromeit and Granson sealed the doubles victory for Duke, defeating Andersson and Keyman 8-3.
“All of the matches are close,” Kujawska said. “I think we should work more on our doubles. We definitely want to beat ranked teams and improve our ranking.”
In the match against William & Mary, Koksova once again claimed the lone point for the Waves, defeating Nina Kamp 7-6, 4-6, 7-6.
Jessyca Arthur outscored Vernaz 6-2, 7-5, and Candice Fuchs downed Kujawska 3-7, 7-6, 6-2. Delphine Troch edged Schlapbach 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. Angela Buergis defeated Andersson 6-4, 6-2, and Lena Sherbakov trounced junior Monika Horvath 6-1, 6-4.
Koksova and Vernaz claimed victory in doubles action, defeating Buergis and Torch 8-6. However, William & Mary captured the other two matches, getting the all-important doubles point.
Arthur and Fuchs defeated Kujawska and Schlapbach 8-3, and Kari Olsen and Amy Wei defeated a Pepperdine team of Andersson and Horvath 8-3.
The WCC Championships do not start until April 19 for the Waves.
March 14, 2002