Two "winningest" Kat tennis players piling up records
4/12/2009 7:30:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Irina Sotnikova and Peta Taylor came to Sam Houston State from places literally a world apart to form a partnership that has led to success unprecedented in Bearkat women's tennis history.
The pair rank No. 1 and 2 in both SHSU career singles and doubles victories. Together stand as Sam Houston's all-time “winningest” doubles pairing and have led Bearkat women's tennis to its highest Southland Conference finishes ever.
And, this Thursday and Saturday, the two seniors will play in the final home matches of their careers.
“Irina and Peta not only are fantastic competitors and tennis players, they're also fantastic young women who have matured into unselfish leaders who have been tremendous assets to our program,” SHSU head coach Jim Giachino said. “They've been a joy to coach.”
Sotnikova came to Sam Houston from Riga, Latvia. She has played No. 1 all four years, putting together an 85-24 all-time singles mark and going 96-19 in doubles with two partners (Lata Assudani in 2006-07 and Taylor in 2008-09).
Taylor hails from Perth, Australia. She played No. 4 and 5 as a freshman and sophomore and No. 3 the past two years. Her singles career record is 60-50. She stands 79-24 in doubles with three partners.
Both players came to Sam Houston State sight unseen, recruited via the internet and telephone by then head coach Scott Shankles.
“Emma McDougall, another Australian who played here a few years ago, told me Sam Houston had an opening,” Taylor said. “I was excited to come here and really liked how Huntsville was a small town and that the university was not an overwhelming place.”
Taylor played doubles with McDougall as a freshman. She also partnered with Brooke Mills before pairing with Sotnikova during the 2007-08 season.
“After playing in several international junior tournaments, I got an ITF ranking,” Sotnikova said. “Coach Shankles contacted my federation to ask about coming to play here. I didn't know much about Sam Houston other than it was in Texas and that it would be warm here. It was a lot different than home at first, but I got used to it and I've been happy here.”
The pair helped lead Sam Houston to a Southland Conference third place finish in 2006 as freshmen. In 2007, with Giachino taking over as head coach, the Bearkats produced their highest SLC finish ever as league runners-up.
In 2008, Giachino paired the two at No. 1 doubles. They now rank as Sam Houston's “winningest” doubles team with a 50-9 record. Both credit chemistry as the reason for their success.
“Irina and I communicate well with each other,” Taylor said. “We have a chemistry on the court. We've come to know each other so well over the past few years that we feel comfortable out there together.”
“Peta and I understand each other,” Sotnikova said. “We cheer each other up when things are going bad.”
As seniors in 2009, the two have been almost unbeatable.
Sotnikova went 10-0 in fall tournament play and is 15-1 in spring dual matches for a 25-1 overall singles mark this year. Taylor is 22-6 in singles. The pair stand 26-2 in doubles.
“I knew this was my last season and I was determined to go out with a bang,” Taylor said. “I set goals this year and trained hard to make them happen.”
Sotnikova puts it more simply.
“I hate losing,” the senior said. “Down late in a match, what goes through my mind is, ?If I'm going to lose a match, I'm going to make the other person fight for it'. Most of the time I end up winning.”
Sam Houston ends the regular season with two matches week, hosting Northwestern State Thursday (April 16) at 10 a.m. and Southeastern Louisiana Saturday (April 18) at 12 noon. The SLC tournament is April 24-26 in Corpus Christi. Two other seniors, Paty Manzur and Eleonora Kuruc, also will be making their final home appearances in the matches this week.
“It's remarkable to have the two most successful players in your programs history closing their careers at the same time,” Giachino said. “But its fitting. They've made such an important contribution. And, the great thing is they will be back next year since they've both decided to get their Master's degrees at Sam Houston.”
| SHSU All-Time Singles Victories | SHSU Winningest Doubles Teams | |||||||||
| Years | Won | Lost | Pct. | Years | Won | Lost | Pct. | |||
| Irina Sotnikova | 2006-09 | 85 | 24 | .780 | Irina Sotnikova | 2008-09 | 52 | 9 | .852 | |
| Peta Taylor | 2006-09 | 60 | 50 | .545 | & Peta Taylor | |||||
| Lata Assudani | 2005-07 | 57 | 39 | .594 | ||||||
| Ivette Andrade | 2000-02 | 53 | 45 | .541 | Irina Sotnikova | 2006-07 | 44 | 10 | .815 | |
| Emma McDougall | 2004-06 | 49 | 45 | .521 | & Lata Assudani | |||||
| SHSU All-Time Doubles Victories* | Angie Flores | 1986-88 | 25 | 31 | .446 | |||||
| Years | Won | Lost | Pct. | & Millie Salinas | ||||||
| Irina Sotnikova | 2006-09 | 96 | 19 | .835 | ||||||
| Peta Taylor | 2006-09 | 79 | 24 | .767 | Robyn Bassett | 1999 | 23 | 4 | .852 | |
| Lata Assudani | 2005-07 | 58 | 28 | .674 | & Vladka Uhlirova | |||||
| Ivette Andrade | 2000-02 | 52 | 65 | .444 | ||||||
| Mounia Hassib | 2002-05 | 50 | 59 | .459 | Brooke Mills | 2006-07 | 20 | 10 | .667 | |
| *with all partners | & Peta Taylor | |||||||||
