Texas Tech Athletics
Utah
Texas Tech Earns Sweep Over Utah
February 14, 2015 | Women's Tennis
Sara Dvorak, who is ranked No. 56, won her 17th match of the season on Saturday.
February 14, 2015
LUBBOCK, Texas - No. 26 Texas Tech got out to a hot start early and cruised to a 4-0 win over No. 45 Utah on a sunny Valentine's Day Saturday to complete a 2-0 weekend at the McLeod Tennis Center.
"I thought we played a much better match today," said Texas Tech head coach Todd Petty. "I thought we played much cleaner. We still need to get better at quicker starts after winning first sets. I felt like we got down in second sets after winning the first set, but overall we played a much cleaner match. I thought we played really good doubles."
Sarah Dvorak and Katelyn Jackson led the way in doubles this weekend from the No. 3 spot with an impressive 6-2 win over Jena Cheng and Elena Najera-Salas. Dvorak was moved this week from No. 1 doubles to the No. 3 pairing with Jackson and the duo have jelled quickly with consecutive 6-2 wins on the weekend.
Lynn Kiro and Sabrina Federici then followed suit defeating Sarah Richter and Luisa da Rosa, 6-4, at No. 2 to give the Lady Raiders a 1-0 lead. Kenna Kilgo and Gabriela Talaba had their match abandoned against No. 26 Tereza Bekerova and Margo Pletcher while holding a 5-4 lead.
The hot start carried over into singles play as Sabrina Federici ousted Alexia Petrovic, 6-2, 6-0 at No. 5, and No. 56 Dvorak toppled Sarah Richter, 6-2, 6-3 at No. 2 to put the Lady Raiders on top 3-0.
No. 63 Kiro would close out the match with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Cheng at No. 3 to give the Lady Raiders the sweep and some revenge on the program that knocked them out of the NCAA tournament in 2012.
"Utah has always been a tough out for us," Petty said. "To get this one out and win 4-0 was special for us because they've been one that knocked us out of the tournament before. I felt like the girls came in focused and ready to play today."
Next week, the Lady Raiders will travel to Montgomery, Alabama to compete in the Blue Gray National Tennis Classic February 20-22. Match opponents and times are TBA.
STREAKS
In singles, three players have significant win streaks - Federici (10 matches), Samantha Czarniak Rego (7 matches) and Sarah Dvorak (7 matches). In doubles, Kiro and Federici have won six straight at No. 2.
WINS
Dvorak picked up her team best 17th singles win, Federici is now out in front of Katelyn Jackson by one with 15 singles wins. In doubles, Hortense Boscher leads the way with 12 wins, while Federici and Kiro each have 11. Mid-season enrollee Talaba is 7-3 in doubles since joining the squad in January.
#26 Texas Tech 4, #45 Utah 0
Lubbock, Texas (McLeod Tennis Center)
Singles
1. Kenna Kilgo (TT) vs. #107 Tereza Bekerova (UTAH) 7-6 (7-3), 2-2, unfinished
2. #56 Sarah Dvorak (TT) def. Sarah Richter (UTAH) 6-2, 6-3
3. #63 Lynn Kiro (TT) def. Jena Cheng (UTAH) 6-2, 6-2
4. Gabriela Talaba (TT) vs. Luisa da Rosa (UTAH) 6-3, 3-4, unfinished
5. Sabrina Federici (TT) def. Alexia Petrovic (UTAH) 6-2, 6-0
6. S. Czarniak Rego (TT) vs. Margo Pletcher (UTAH) 6-6 (6-3), unfinished
Doubles
1. Kenna Kilgo / Gabriela Talaba (TT) vs. #26 Tereza Bekerova/Margo Pletcher (UTAH) 5-4, unfinished
2. Lynn Kiro / Sabrina Federici (TT) def. Sarah Richter/Luisa da Rosa (UTAH) 6-4
3. Sarah Dvorak / Katelyn Jackson (TT) def. Jena Cheng/Elena Najera-Salas (UTAH) 6-2
Records: #45 UTAH 1-4; #26 Texas Tech 6-2
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (5,2,3)
T-2:00 A-115
Players Mentioned
