Pepperdine University
Long Beach State
Zalameda, Waves Rally for 4-3 Win Over LBSU
4/17/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
It was the regular-season finale for Pepperdine, which improved to 10-12 overall and won its fourth straight match to head into next week's West Coast Conference Championships on a roll. The 49ers dropped to 16-5.
With the overall match tied 3-3, only Zalameda and Long Beach State's Anna Jeczmionka were left on the court playing their third set at #5 singles. Both players had a couple of breaks, including one that put Zalameda ahead 5-3. Although Jeczmionka broke back to make it a 5-4 score, Zalameda scored four straight points on her opponent's serve, including a rocket forehand past Jeczmionka and into the left corner for the match-winner.
"Every coach likes to see their freshman come back and win a match like that," Pepperdine Coach Gualberto Escudero said. "Every player should want to be in that position, no matter the sport. It's like Kobe Bryant wanting the ball to win the game. Marie didn't give up being down 5-2, and it was exciting to see her come back."
The #1 and #2 doubles matches both ended at the same time, with each school winning one of them by a lopsided margin. All eyes then turned to #3 doubles, which was locked in a close battle. But the 49ers got a break in the final game to post an 8-6 win and capture the doubles point.
The 49ers made the score 2-0 with a win at #6 singles, but the Waves came back to win the next three matches - sophomore Andrea Oates (Pretoria, South Africa) at #4, freshman Arianna Colffer (Corona, Calif./Buena Vista) at #1 and sophomore Ali Walters (Newport Beach, Calif./Creekside Christian School/UCLA) at #3 - in straight sets to take a 3-2 lead.
Both junior Anamika Bhargava (Collierville, Tenn./Houston HS) at #2 and Zalameda (Los Angeles, Calif./Beverly Hills HS) at #5 lost the first set, but both battled back to take the second set. After falling behind 5-2, Zalameda came on strong and won the next five games. Bhargava lost her third set to make the overall score 3-3, setting up Zalameda's exciting finish.
The day, which saw Pepperdine's two seniors recognized before the start of the match, wasn't all good in Escudero's eyes, however.
"We lost the doubles point in a very ugly fashion. That was the ugliest it had been all year," he said. "We need our one senior in the lineup, Tania Rice, to come back and give us more in the conference finals."
The WCC Tournament is in San Diego from April 23-25.
#47 Pepperdine 4, #40 Long Beach State 3
Doubles
- 1) #54 Anamika Bhargava/Marie Zalameda (PEP) def. Deborah Armstrong/Anais Dallara (LBSU), 8-1
- 2) Jaklin Alawi/Rachel Manasse (LBSU) def. Arianna Colffer/Ali Walters (PEP), 8-1
- 3) Sarah Cantlay/Julie Luzar (LBSU) def. Andrea Oates/Tania Rice (PEP), 8-6
Order of finish: 1, 2, 3
Singles
- 1) #82 Arianna Colffer (PEP) def. Jaklin Alawi (LBSU), 6-3, 6-1
- 2) Anais Dallara (LBSU) def. Anamika Bhargava (PEP), 7-6 (4), 5-7, 6-2
- 3) Ali Walters (PEP) def. Deborah Armstrong (LBSU), 7-5, 6-2
- 4) Andrea Oates (PEP) def. Rachel Manasse (LBSU), 6-2, 6-2
- 5) Marie Zalameda (PEP) def. Anna Jeczmionka (LBSU), 6-7 (5), 7-5, 6-4
- 6) Sarah Cantlay (LBSU) def. Tania Rice (PEP), 6-1, 6-1
Order of finish: 6, 4, 1, 3, 2, 5
Records: #47 Pepperdine 10-12, #40 Long Beach State 16-5
