Air Force Academy
Utah
Air Force Falls to Utah, 4-3
4/9/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
April 9, 2004
The Air Force women's tennis team fell to 1-2 in Mountain West Conference action Friday with a 4-3 loss to the University of Utah in Provo, Utah. The Falcons won the doubles point but lost four of the six singles matches, including three of them in three sets. This is the sixth consecutive match between the two teams that ended with a 4-3 decision, with Utah winning four of them.
Air Force, which fell to 13-8 overall, stormed out to an early 1-0 lead with victories No. 1 and No. 2 doubles. Seniors Laura Nigro and Gina Black improved their record to 11-4 at the No. 1 spot with an 8-4 victory over Sheri Esrock and Whitney Eber. Sophomore Kat Bushey and freshman Karissa Walker won the No. 2 match by the same score, defeating Cinthia Saucedo and Jessica Watts. Utah's Rachel Alder and Jenessa Jackson won the No. 3 match over junior Katie Tomkie and freshman Liza Vaccaro, 8-1.
The Falcons were unable to keep their momentum in singles action, however, as Air Force dropped three matches in three sets. Nigro improved her record at No. 1 singles to 11-7 with a three-set win over Esrock, 6-4, 5-7, 7-5. Utah won at No. 2 and No. 3, both in three sets. Eber defeated Bushey, 6-0, 5-7, 7-5, at No. 2, while Saucedo beat Walker, 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 at No. 3.
Black won the other singles match for Air Force, defeating Alder 7-5, 6-2 at the No. 4 position. Utah's Watts took care of Tomkie, 7-6, 4-6, 6-1 at the No. 5 spot and Jackson handed Vaccaro a 6-4, 6-2 loss at the No. 6 position.
The Falcons try to get back on track Saturday with a 10 a.m. match against BYU in Provo.
University of Utah 4, Air Force 3
Singles
1. Laura Nigro (AFA) def. Sheri Esrock, 6-4, 5-7, 7-5
2. Whitney Eber (UU) def. Kat Bushey, 6-0, 5-7, 7-5
3. Cinthia Saucedo (UU) def. Karissa Walker, 6-4, 1-6, 6-4
4. Gina Black (AFA) def. Rachel Alder, 7-5, 6-2
5. Jessica Watts (UU) def. Katie Tomkie, 7-6(1), 4-6, 6-1
6. Jenessa Jackson (UU) def. Liza Vaccaro, 6-4, 6-2
Doubles
1. Nigro/Black (AFA) def. Esrock/Eber, 8-4
2. Bushey/Walker (AFA) def. Saucedo/Watts, 8-4
3. Alder/Jackson (UU) def. Tomkie/Vaccaro, 8-1
