Air Force Academy
Hawai'i
Falcons Drop Two Matches in Hawaii
3/21/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
March 21, 2010
The Air Force women's tennis team dropped a pair of matches Saturday in Hawaii. The Falcons fell to the University of Hawaii, 5-2, at the UH Tennis Complex, then lost a 4-3 decision to Hawaii-Pacific at the Central Oahu Regional Park. The Falcons, who had not lost consecutive matches all season, have lost three straight and are 13-5 this season.
The Falcons lost the doubles point for just the fourth time this spring against Hawaii. After splitting the Nos. 2 and 3 matches, it came down to the top court. Sophie Kobuch and Katarina Poljakova rallied from a 6-2 deficit and won the final six games to post an 8-6 victory over AllieChermel and Tahlia Smoke to give UH a 1-0 lead.
The Rainbow Wahine wrapped up the win in singles after taking four of the six contests. UH swept the top three matches in straight sets before AFA freshman Hannah Dake won the No. 4 match, 6-2, 6-3 over Aglae Van der Bergh. Fellow freshman Melissa Cecil won the No. 6 match over Alyssa Nafarette, 6-3, 6-2.
Against Hawaii Pacific, the Falcons jumped out to a 1-0 lead with wins at the Nos. 2 and 3 doubles positions, including an exciting, 9-7 victory by senior Erlyn Rudico and freshman Christine Molina over Nina and Tinka Mihova to clinch the point.
The momentum from the doubles did not carry over to singles, however, as the Sea Warriors won at the top four spots to win the team match. Molina and fellow frosh Melissa Cecil won in straight sets at No. 5 and 6, respectively. The match came down to the No. 2 position, where AFA sophomore Tahlia Smoke rallied from a 3-0 deficit in the third set to force a tiebreaker, but fell to Ingrid Cseh in the breaker.
The Falcons are idle until Thursday, April 1, when they open Mountain West Conference action against New Mexico in Fort Worth, Texas.
Hawai`i 5, Air Force 2
Singles
1. Sophie Kobuch (UH) def. Christen Monreal, 6-2, 6-1
2. Katarina Poljakova (UH) def. Tahlia Smoke, 6-1, 6-3
3. Barbara Pinterova (UH) def. Sarah Cassman, 6-1, 6-1
4. Hannah Dake (AF) def. Aglae Van den Bergh, 6-2, 6-3
5. Natasha Zorec (UH) def. Christine Molina,7-5, 6-7 (5), (10-2)
6. Melissa Cecil (AF) def. Alyssa Nafarrete, 6-3, 6-2
Doubles
1. Kobuch / Poljakova (UH) def. Allie Chermel / Tahlia Smoke, 8-6
2. Pinterova / Nafarrete(UH) def. Dake / Cecil, 8-6
3. Monreal / Molina (AF) def. Zorec / Van den Bergh, 8-5
Hawaii Pacific 4, Air Force 3
Singles
1. Zora Vlckova (HPU) def. Christen Monreal, 6-4, 6-0
2. Ingrid Cseh (HPU) def. Tahlia Smoke, 2-6, 6-4, 7-6
3. Tinka Mihova (HPU) def. Hannah Dake, 6-3, 6-3
4. Sandra Wikstrom (HPU) def. Sarah Cassman, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2
5. Christine Molina (AF) def. Ayuri Sagahara, 6-0, 6-1
6. Melissa Cecil (AF) def. Brittney Ynfante, 6-0, 6-0
Doubles
1. Cseh / Vlckova (HPU) def. Smoke / Allie Chermel, 8-5
2. Monreal / Dake (AF) def. Alexandra Stankovic / Wikstrom, 8-4
3. Molina / Rudico (AF) def. Nina Mihova / Tinka Mihova, 9-7
Players Mentioned
