Women’s Tennis Comes Back From 3-1 Deficit to Defeat #37 Texas A&M

Jan. 30, 2010

CLEMSON, SC – After four and a half hours of tennis, #14 Clemson and #37 Texas A&M remained deadlocked at three apiece, with the deciding singles match heading to tiebreak in the first round of the ITA Kick-Off Weekend. Junior Laurianne Henry never flinched, reeling off six straight points, erasing a 4-1 deficit, to take the tie-break and give Clemson a 4-3 win. The Tigers move to 4-0 on the season, while Texas A&M falls to 0-1.

Clemson returns to action on Sunday as they play #20 Ole Miss in the second round for a right to go to Madsion, WI for the final 16. Texas A&M and Illinois will play a consolation match at 9:00 am Sunday. Ole Miss defeated Illinois, 4-2 earlier in the day to advance to the championship match.

Keri Wong mounted a huge comeback in her match against Morgan Frank at flight two, after taking the first set, 6-3 and falling in the second, 6-0, Wong faced a 5-2 deficit in the third. The sophomore fought back to knot the match at five. Frank then battled to take a 6-5 lead. Wong again tied the match, moving it to a tiebreaker. Wong kept composure, jumping out to a quick lead, and holding her edge to take the third set, 7-6, winning the tiebreaker 7-3, and upping her record to 4-0 on the young season.

Wong’s win appeared to fuel a change in momentum, as Estefania Balda took her match at #6, gutting out a 7-6, 6-3 win against Stephanie Davidson, putting the match into the hands of the flight-five singles.

The match came down to Laurianne Henry, who won the first set, 7-5 in her match. Sheri Olivier responded, taking the second set, 6-3. However, the match would come down to a tiebreak, as Olivier broke Henry’s serve to force a 6-6 set. Olivier raced out to a 4-1 advantage. Henry fought back to take the next six points, taking the match on a vicious serve.

Ina Hadziselimovic and Keri Wong teamed up for Clemson’s lone win in doubles, moving to 4-0 on the dual meet season. For Hadziselimovic, it was her 84^th career doubles win, moving her into a tie for 10^th on Clemson’s all-time doubles wins list. The pair downed Elze Potgieter and Christi Liles, 8-3 to take the first win.

At flight two, Laurianne Henry fell 8-3 to Stephanie Davidson and Morgan Frank. The Aggie duo jumped out to a 5-0 advantage. The Tigers closed the gap to within 6-3, but Texas A&M held on for the win, tying the doubles matchup at one-apiece.

Estefania Balda and Josipa Bek couldn’t pull out a win at flight three, falling 8-3 to Sheri Olivier and Lauren Santacroce, clinching the doubles point for the Aggies.

Nelly Ciolkowski opened the singles scoring, knotting the match at one-apiece as she took down #118 Lauren Santacroce, 6-3, 6-1. She moved to 4-0 on the season, and 11-1 in her career.

Ina Hadziselimovic then fell at flight three to Nazari Urbina, 6-3, 6-2, to give Texas A&M the 2-1 lead.

The nation’s ninth-ranked player, Josipa Bek, then fell at flight one to #88 Elze Potgeiter, 7-5, 6-4, giving the Aggies a 3-1 advantage.

#14 Clemson 4, #37 Texas A&M 3

Round One – ITA Kick-Off Weekend

Clemson, SC: January 30, 2010, 3:15 pm

Doubles:

1. Hadziselimovic/Wong (CU) def. Liles/Potgieter (TAMU), 8-3

2. Davidson/Frank (TAMU) def. Ciolkowski/Henry (CU), 8-3

3. Oliver/Urbina (TAMU) def. Balda/Bek (CU), 8-3

Order of Finish: 1,2,3

Singles:

1. #88 Elze Potgieter (TAMU) def. #9 Josipa Bek (CU), 7-5, 6-4