EL PASO, TX ? Irina Sotnikova, Giorgia Pozzan and Peta Taylor all won in singles and the Bearkats swept doubles as Sam Houston State took a 4-3 dual match decision over Gonzaga at the UTEP Tennis Classic Friday afternoon.

The victory lifts Sam Houston State's 2009 women's tennis dual match record to 3-2. The Bearkats take on tournament host UTEP Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m.

Sotnikova defeated Aglaya Kokurina 6-3 6-3 at number one singles. Sotnikova stands 15-0 in singles play this season including fall tournaments and spring dual matches.

Pozzan downed Rika Mehndiratta 6-3 7-5 at number two and Taylor won 6-0 6-3 over Danielle Farmer at number three singles.

Sotnikova and Taylor won 8-2 in the number one doubles pro set, defeating Farmer and Mehndiratta. Pozzan and Stasa Vujosevic defeated Clare Dodge and Kokurina at number two 8-5. Eleonora Kuruc and Paty Manzur made it a clean sweep in doubles with an 8-3 win over Madelina Parker and Kristina Zauere at number three.

Tennis Match Results

Sam Houston State vs Gonzaga

Feb 13, 2009 at El Paso, TX

Sam Houston State 4, Gonzaga 3

 Singles competition

1. Irina Sotnikova (SHSU) def. Aglaya Kokurina (GONZAGA) 6-3, 6-3

2. Giorgia Pozzan (SHSU) def. Rika Mehndiratta (GONZAGA) 6-3, 7-5

3. Peta Taylor (SHSU) def. Danielle Farmer (GONZAGA) 6-0, 6-3

4. Kristina Zauere (GONZAGA) def. Paty Manzur (SHSU) 6-1, 6-1

5. Madelina Parker (GONZAGA) def. Eleonora Kuruc (SHSU) 6-3, 6-3

6. Clare Dodge (GONZAGA) def. Stasa Vujosevic (SHSU) 6-2, 2-6, 6-1

 Doubles competition

1. Irina Sotnikova/Peta Taylor (SHSU) def. Danielle Farmer/Rika Mehndiratta (GONZAGA) 8-2

2. Giorgia Pozzan/Stasa Vujosevic (SHSU) def. Clare Dodge/Aglaya Kokurina (GONZAGA) 8-5

3. Eleonora Kuruc/Paty Manzur (SHSU) def. Madelina Parker/Kristina Zauere (GONZAGA) 8-3

EL PASO, TX ? Peta Taylor defeated Carolina DeLuca 6-7 7-5 1-0 (11-9) to provide the only point for the Bearkats as the Sam Houston State women's tennis team lost a non-conference dual match 6-1 to the UTEP Miners Saturday afternoon.

Weronika Bloczynska handed Sam Houston's Irina Sotnikova her first singles loss of the 2008-09 season, winning 3-6 7-5 7-6. Sotnikova now stands 15-1 in both dual match and fall tournament play.

The loss ended Sam Houston State's team record for the dual match season to 3-3.

Tennis Match Results

Sam Houston State vs Texas-El Paso

Feb 14, 2009 at El Paso, TX

Texas-El Paso 6, Sam Houston State 1

 Singles competition

1. Weronika Bloczynska (UTEP) def. Irina Sotnikova (SHSU) 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7-4)

2. Martina Trieweiler (UTEP) def. Giorgia Pozzan (SHSU) 7-5, 7-6 (10-8)

3. Peta Taylor (SHSU) def. Carolina DeLuca (UTEP) 6-7, 7-5, 1-0 (11-9)

4. Marina DeLuca (UTEP) def. Eleonora Kuruc (SHSU) 7-5, 6-2

5. Megan Pritchard (UTEP) def. Paty Manzur (SHSU) 6-2, 6-4

6. Ximena Fuentes (UTEP) def. Stasa Vujosevic (SHSU) 6-2, 6-0

 Doubles competition

1. Weronika Bloczynska/Megan Pritchard (UTEP) def. Irina Sotnikova/Peta Taylor (SHSU) 8-7 (7-5)

2. Carolina DeLuca/Martina Trieweiler (UTEP) def. Giorgia Pozzan/Stasa Vujosevic (SHSU) 8-2

3. Marina DeLuca/Ximena Fuentes (UTEP) def. Eleonora Kuruc/Paty Manzur (SHSU) 8-4

El Paso, TX ? Giogia Pozzan, Peta Taylor and Paty Manzur won at No. 2, 3 and 5 singles and the Bearkats swept all three doubles pro sets to hand Northern Colorado a 4-0 loss in the final women's tennis dual match of Sam Houston State's trip to the UTEP Tennis Classic Sunday morning.

The No. 1, 4 and 6 singles were not completed after the Bearkats clinched the victory since both teams had to make flights home.

The victory lifts Sam Houston State's dual match record to 4-3. The Bearkats will play their final non-conference match Wednesday at 2 p.m. against the Houston Cougars in Houston. Sam Houston State opens Southland Conference play Saturday, Feb. 28, at Lamar in a 1 p.m. match.

Sam Houston State also defeated Gonzaga 4-3 in Friday's opening match at the UTEP tournament. The Kats fell 6-1 to UTEP Saturday.

“Northern Colorado defeated us 6-1 last year so to come back today against basically the same team is good,” SHSU head coach Jim Giachino. “We played well. We're excited about the match this week at Houston and looking forward to getting ready for Southland Conference play.”

Taylor went undefeated at No. 3 singles during the weekend tournament at UTEP.

Tennis Match Results

Sam Houston State vs Northern Colorado

Feb 15, 2009 at El Paso, TX

Sam Houston State 4, Northern Colorado 0

 Singles competition

1. Irina Sotnikova (SHSU) vs. Tabatha Knop (NOCO) no result

2. Giorgia Pozzan (SHSU) def. Tiffany Knop (NOCO) 6-2, 6-2

3. Peta Taylor (SHSU) def. Manuela Santos (NOCO) 6-1, 6-3

4. Eleonora Kuruc (SHSU) vs. Jill Kappei (NOCO) no result

5. Paty Manzur (SHSU) def. Laiza Xavier (NOCO) 6-1, 7-5

6. Lilit Martirosyan (SHSU) vs. Jennifer Whateley (NOCO) no result

 Doubles competition

1. Irina Sotnikova/Peta Taylor (SHSU) def. Tabatha Knop/Manuela Santos (NOCO) 8-2

2. Giorgia Pozzan/Stasa Vujosevic (SHSU) def. Tiffany Knop/Jennifer Whateley (NOCO) 8-1

3. Eleonora Kuruc/Paty Manzur (SHSU) def. Jodi Ciarvella/Jill Kappei (NOCO) 8-4