Feb. 25, 2014
Complete Results
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Although the Pepperdine women's tennis team edged Memphis in doubles, the Waves were unable to separate themselves in an evenly-matched singles contest against a team that has not lost at home in 35 matches. It took nearly five hours, but the Tigers were able to come from behind for the 4-3 win and extend their home win streak to 36.
The loss sends Pepperdine to 4-4 on the season, while Memphis improves to 7-4.
The Tigers got on the board first with a win at No. 1 doubles, but Michaela Capannolo (Melbourne, Australia/Genazzano FCJ College) and Yuki Chiang (Ojai, Calif./Campbell Hall HS) evened the score with an 8-4 def. over Alyssa Hibberd and Caroline Wegner.
Despite falling behind a break 1-4, Matea Cutura (Zagreb, Croatia/Gimnazija Birotehnika/DePaul) and Ale Granillo (Pachuca, Mexico/Instituto Hidalgo), the reigning WCC Doubles Team of the Week, dug deep to rally back and beat Marta Morga and Liza Tymchenko 8-5.
The victory extends Cutura and Granillo's streak to six in a row.
The Tigers tallied the first two points in singles with straight-set wins at No. 6 and No. 2.
Chiang tied the team score 2-2 after earning a 6-4, 6-2 sweep against Hibberd.
Lorraine Guillermo (Walnut, Calif./Rowland HS) was also victorious from her No. 1 spot in the lineup, downing Stefanie Mikesz 6-3, 7-5.
The fourth point eluded the Waves, but not without heroic efforts by Granillo and Capannolo.
Granillo rallied back from a loss in the first set to force a third frame, but came up short 6-4 vs. Wegner.
At No. 4, Capannolo lost the first set in the tiebreaker and found herself in a similar situation in the second. The sophomore extended the match by winning the second set tiebreaker vs. Anki Wind.
In the dual-deciding third set, Wind earned a break of serve to go ahead 5-3 and that proved to be enough. The Tiger held to win 6-3 and give her team the narrow 4-3 victory.
The Waves look to shake the three-match slide on Saturday when they host Hawaii at 11 a.m. on the courts of the Ralph-Straus Tennis Center.
Pepperdine vs Memphis
Feb 25, 2014 at Memphis, Tenn.
(The Racquet Club of Memphis)
#32 Memphis 4, #26 Pepperdine 3
Singles
1. #23 Lorraine Guillermo (PEP) def. #99 Stefanie Mikesz (MEM) 6-3, 7-5
2. Skylar Kuykendall (MEM) def. Matea Cutura (PEP) 6-3, 6-2
3. Caroline Wegner (MEM) def. Ale Granillo (PEP) 6-4, 1-6, 6-4
4. Anki Wind (MEM) def. Michaela Capannolo (PEP) 7-6, 6-7, 6-3
5. Yuki Chiang (PEP) def. Alyssa Hibberd (MEM) 6-4, 6-2
6. Marta Morga (MEM) def. A.Runglerdkriangkrai (PEP) 6-0, 7-5
Doubles
1. Stefanie Mikesz/Anki Wind (MEM) def. Lorraine Guillermo/Christine Maddox (PEP) 8-1
2. #47 Michaela Capannolo/Yuki Chiang (PEP) def. #38 Alyssa Hibberd/Caroline Wegner (MEM) 8-4
3. Matea Cutura/Ale Granillo (PEP) def. Marta Morga/Liza Tymchenko (MEM) 8-5
Match Notes:
Pepperdine 4-4; National ranking #26
Memphis 7-4; National ranking #32
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (6,2,5,3,1,4)
Memphis extends home winning streak to 36 matches
T-4:46
