Pepperdine University
USC
#8 Pepperdine Overpowers #40 USC in 4-0 Sweep
4/3/2018 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
MALIBU, Calif. " The 8th-ranked Pepperdine women's tennis team overpowered 40th-ranked USC in a 4-0 sweep at Ralphs-Straus Tennis Center on Tuesday afternoon. The Waves swiftly won doubles and set up No. 25 Luisa Stefani for the singles win over No. 35 Gabby Smith to clinch the overall non-conference match victory.
After the match against USC (9-7), Pepperdine (14-1) hits the road to challenge Gonzaga and Portland in a pair of West Coast Conference duals this weekend.
 | RESULTS |
Singles
1: #25 Luisa Stefani (PEPP) def. #35 Gabby Smith (USC) " 6-2, 6-4
2: #17 Ashley Lahey (PEPP) vs. Angela Kulikov (USC) " 3-6, 5-1, unfinished
3: #12 Mayar Sherif (PEPP) def. Madison Westby (USC) " 6-3, 6-1
4: #72 Evgeniya Levashova (PEPP) vs. Constance Branstine (USC) " 7-5, 2-1, unfinished
5: #115 Laura Gulbe (PEPP) vs. Sydney Van Alphen (USC) " 6-4, 4-0, unfinished
6: Dzina Milovanovic (PEPP) def. Alexa Corcoleotes (USC) " 6-1, 6-2
Order of Finish: 6, 3, 1*
Doubles
1: #17 Luisa Stefani/Mayar Sherif (PEPP) def. #32 Rianna Valdes/Angela Kulikov (USC) " 6-2
2: #72 Evgeniya Levashova/Dzina Milovanovic (PEPP) def. Becca Weissmann/Gabby Smith (USC) " 6-2
3: Ashley Lahey/Adrijana Lekaj (PEPP) vs. Madison Westby/Constance Branstine (USC) " 5-4, unfinished
Order of Finish: 1, 2*
| MATCH RECAP |
In singles action, the Trojans put up a fight, but the Waves prevailed in the end after opening by winning five-of-six first sets. Dzina Milovanovic finished her match on court six before many of her teammates finished their first sets, collecting a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Alexa Corcoleotes. No. 12 Sherif then downed Madison Westby on court three with a 6-3, 6-1 result to put the Waves in a position to clinch.
On court one, No. 25 Stefani was up to the task, putting down No. 35 Gabby Smith with a 6-2, 6-4 win to clinch. No. 72 Levashova came back from a 4-5 first set deficit to win 7-5 over Constance Branstine. She was up 2-1 in the second set when the match was clinched.
No. 115 Laura Gulbe also gritted out a 6-4 win over Sydney Van Alphen on court five and was on her way to a second set win with a 4-0 lead before the match was clinched. No. 17 Ashley Lahey fell in her first set 6-3, but rallied in the second for a 5-1 lead before the overall match ended.
| NOTABLES |
- The Waves have gone 3-1 against opponents ranked in the top-12 of the Oracle/ITA rankings.
- Pepperdine has won the last eight-straight matches and has collected seven sweeps this season.
- Laura Gulbe is on a seven-match winning streak in singles, while Evgeniya Levashova and Mayar Sherif are on a six-match streaks.
- In doubles, Ashley Lahey and Adrijana Lekaj have won six-consecutive matches.
- The No. 1 doubles position has gone 13-2 this season for the Waves in dual action, with Mayar Sherif and Luisa Stefani collecting a 9-1 record in the top-spot.
- The Waves have gone 61-13 in singles action and 29-8 in doubles play this season.
- The Waves have five ranked in the Oracle/ITA singles rankings #12 Mayar Sherif, #17 Ashley Lahey, #25 Luisa Stefani, #72 Evgeniya Levashova and #115 Laura Gulbe.
- The team has three doubles pairs ranked with Sherif and Stefani ranking #17, Sherif and Lahey ranking #33 and Milovanovic and Levashova ranking #75.
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