Tennis wins singles, doubles titles at Houston event
11/10/2008 1:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
TENNIS AT HOUSTON
HOUSTON ? Led by Irina Sotnikova who finished the fall with a perfect 22-0 record in singles and doubles by winning both titles, the Sam Houston State women's tennis team put on an impressive performance at the University of Houston Fall Invitational Friday through Saturday.
Sotnikova defeated Leana Lee of Lee College, a player ranked No. 925 on the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) computer, 6-4 6-3 in the finals. Sotnikova also paired with Peta Taylor to win the tournament's doubles title, defeating Sam Houston's number two team of Giorgia Pozzan and Stasa Vojosevic in the finals pro set 8-2.
Sotnikova becomes the first player in Bearkat tennis history to compile a perfect 22-0 record in fall play. The senior from Riga, Latvia, has upped her Sam Houston school record career singles record to 71-22 and her doubles mark to 82-17 in her four years as a Bearkat.
"I was very pleased with the depth of strength each player demonstrated at the Houston tournament,” SHSU tennis coach Jim Giachino said. “Obviously winning the top flight of both singles and doubles was a strong showing, but each player on the team has improved both mentally and tactically on the courts. All three of our doubles teams are playing better now than we did all of last year, and we have much more depth in singles. If we continue to grow as a team during the next two months, I think we have the potential to accomplish something quite special when our dual matches begin in January."
In singles, Taylor reached the tournament semi-finals before falling to Lee. The senior won the third place trophy with a 6-3 6-1 victory over Greta Gutterman of Southern Mississippi.
Final Fall Singles and Doubles Records for the Bearkats:
| SINGLES | Won-Lost | DOUBLES | Won-Lost |
| Irina Sotnikova | 10-0 | Sotnikova & Taylor | 12-0 |
| Giorgia Pozzan | 4-3 | Pozzan & Vujosevic | 7-1 |
| Peta Taylor | 8-3 | Kuruc & Manzur | 7-4 |
| Eleonora Kuruc | 4-6 | ||
| Stasa Vujosevic | 5-4 | ||
| Paty Manzur | 6-4 | ||
| Lilit Martirosyan | 6-5 |
Complete tournament results:
IRINA SOTNIKOVA
1R ? def. Martinez, McNeese 6-0 6-1
QF ? def. Kacprzyk, Houston 4-6 6-1 6-1
SF ? def. Gutterman, So Miss 6-2 6-2
F ? def. Lee, Lee 6-4 6-3
GIORGIA POZZAN
1R ? lost to Ring, Houston 6-2 6-4
Conso ? lost to Van Berlo, So Miss 6-1 3-6 1-0 (5)
Conso ? def Wasson, Houston 6-2 6-3
Conso ? lost to Kacprzyk, Houston 6-7 6-4 1-0 (3)
PETA TAYLOR
1R ? def. Velkovsha, SE LA 6-1 6-1
QF ? def. Wasson, Houston 6-1 4-6 6-4
SF ? lost to Lee, Lee 6-3 6-4
Conso ? def Gutterman, So Miss 6-3 6-1
ELEONORA KURUC
1R ? lost to Gutterman, So Miss 6-4 4-6 6-2
Conso ? lost to Forward, Houston 6-1 5-7 1-0 (9)
Conso ? lost to Ring, Houston 6-1 6-1
Conso ? lost to Wasson, Houston 6-2 6-1
STASA VUJOSEVIC
1R ? lost to Young, Houston 6-2 6-2
Conso ? def. Huynh, Lee 6-2 6-3
LILIT MARTIROSYAN
1R ? def. Creed, Lee 6-2 6-2
QF ? lost to McCombs, Houston 7-5 6-1
PATY MANZUR
1R ? def. Longoria, SE LA 7-5 6-0
QF ? lost to Starrat, Houston 5-7 6-2 6-3
DOUBLES
IRINA SOTNIKOVA / PETA TAYLOR
1R ? def. Cornish/Martinez, McNeese 8-1
QF ? def. Simpson/Starrat, Houston 8-4
SF ? def. Gutterman/Van Berlo, So Mss 9-7
F ? def. Pozzan/Vujosevic, SHSU 8-6
GIORGIA POZZAN/SASHA VUJOSEVIC
1R ? def. Basso/Hernandez, Lee 8-5
QF ? def. Ring/Young, Houston 8-5
SF ? def. Kaluza/Robinson, So Miss 8-6
F ? lost to Sotnikova/Taylor, SHSU 8-2
ELEONORA KURUC/PATY MANZUR
1R ? lost to Edwards-McCombs, Houston 8-3
Conso ? def. Creed/Huynh, Lee 8-0
Conso ? def. Basso/Hernandez, Lee 8-3
Conso ? lost to Kacprzyk/Wasson, Houston 8-1
