Pepperdine University
Saint Mary's
Women's Tennis' Run of WCC Titles Ends
4/25/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
The Waves (12-13) were going for their 22nd WCC title, more than any other school, but were foiled by the Gaels (17-6), who won their first. This was only Pepperdine's second loss at the tournament since the current team dual-match format was established in 1995, dropping them to 46-2.
Pepperdine had beaten Saint Mary's in each of the last three WCC championship matches, but the Gaels gave notice that this year might be different with a 4-3 victory over the Waves in Malibu earlier this month. The Waves had a six-match winning streak between that loss and today's contest.
The Waves struck first in doubles as the #1 team of junior Anamika Bhargava (Collierville, Tenn./Houston HS) and freshman Marie Zalameda (Los Angeles, Calif./Beverly Hills HS) earned an 8-2 victory, but the Gaels got the doubles point with wins at #2 and #3.
Singles wins by the Gaels at #4 and #6 put them one victory away from the title. Zalameda gave Pepperdine its point with a 7-6, 6-1 win at #5 singles. But, Saint Mary's ended it not long after with a victory at the #1 slot. Of the two abandoned matches, Pepperdine was ahead in one and the other was even.
The Waves will now have to wait and hope for an at-large bid to the NCAA Championships. The field will be announced on May 4 and the first and second rounds are at campus sites on May 14-15.
#38 Saint Mary's 4, #44 Pepperdine 1
Doubles
- 1) #77 Anamika Bhargava/Marie Zalameda (PEP) def. Alexandra Poorta/Claire Soper (SMC), 8-2
- 2) Anna Chikhikvishviki/Catherine Isip (SMC) def. Arianna Colffer/Ali Walters (PEP), 8-4
- 3) Alita Fisher/Nienke Strijbis (SMC) def. Andrea Oates/Tara Panu (PEP), 8-5
Order of finish: 1, 3, 2
Singles
- 1) #124 Alexandra Poorta (SMC) def. #98 Arianna Colffer (PEP), 7-5, 6-4
- 2) Anamika Bhargava (PEP) vs. Catherine Isip (SMC), unfinished
- 3) Ali Walters (PEP) vs. Anna Chikhikvishviki (SMC), unfinished
- 4) Claire Soper (SMC) def. Andrea Oates (PEP), 6-4, 6-4
- 5) Marie Zalameda (PEP) def. Alisa Spitzer (SMC), 7-6, 6-1
- 6) Molly Aloia (SMC) def. Tania Rice (PEP), 7-6, 6-4
Order of finish: 4, 6, 5, 1
Records: #44 Pepperdine 12-13, #38 Saint Mary's 17-6
