Wilbert Wins Tie-Breaker to Give Women's Tennis Victory over UTEP

Edina Horvath serves in her doubles match Saturday against UTEP.

Jan. 31, 2009

LAWRENCE, Kan. -

Freshman Erin Wilbert won her singles match against Vicky Michaud (6-2, 6-2) to give the Kansas women’s tennis team the 4-3 edge over UTEP Saturday afternoon at First Serve Tennis Center.

KU (1-0) dropped two doubles matches to give UTEP (1-1) the early 1-0 lead, but won the first three singles matches to go up 3-1. Junior Kuni Dorn and freshman Kate Morozova both dropped singles matches to even the score at 3-3.

Senior Yuliana Svistun notched wins in both her singles (6-1, 6-1) and doubles matches (8-2) while Svistun’s doubles partner, Morozova, fought back from one set down to take Weronika Bloczynska to three sets, but lost the match, 4-6, 6-7 (5).

Martinez, who entered the dual with a team-high six singles victories from the fall, won her singles match in the No. 4 position against the Miners' Megan Pritchard (6-3, 6-3) and senior Edina Horvath defeated Carolina Deluca in straight sets 6-3, 6-1.

The Jayhawks’ other two doubles tandems of Horvath/Dorn and Martinez/Wilbert both dropped matches 8-6. Despite some miscues, Coach Holt was happy with the opening performance.

“We definitely had first match jitters, but I feel that we did compete well,” said Coach Holt. “You have to give UTEP credit for playing hard and putting us in this (tough) situation so early. It will prepare us for tough matches down the road. We definitely have a lot of work to do, but winning this one can help us in the long run.”

Kansas will look to improve to 3-0 on Sunday when it takes on both Drake and Saint Louis at First Serve Tennis Center. The matches will start at 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Doubles

Bloczynska/Pritchard (UTEP) def. Horvath/Dorn (KU) 8-6

Morozova/Svistun (KU) def. Fuentes/M. Deluca (UTEP) 8-2

C. Deluca/Michaud (UTEP) def. Martinez/Wilbert (KU) 8-6

Singles

Bloczynska (UTEP) def. Morozova (KU) 4-6, 7-6, 6-7 (5)

Horvath (KU) def. C. Deluca (UTEP) 6-3, 6-1

M. Deluca (UTEP) def. Dorn (KU) 6-2, 3-6, 3-6

Martinez (KU) def. Pritchard (UTEP) 6-3, 6-3

Svistun (KU) def. Fuentes (UTEP) 6-1, 6-1

Wilbert (KU) def. Michaud (UTEP) 6-2, 6-2

Dzuba (KU) def. Murguia (UTEP) 8-0