University of Houston Athletics
University of Houston
<b> Arkansas State
Tennis Completes Undefeated Season at Home
4/9/2006 12:00:00 AM | Tennis
April 9, 2006
HOUSTON - The University of Houston tennis team completed an undefeated season at home with a 5-2 Senior Day victory over Arkansas State Sunday morning at Hoff Courts.
The program opened the match by honoring its three seniors Kami Miller, Yolandi Terblanche and Sarah Reimer. Over the last four seasons, the Cougars have registered a 44-11 mark at Hoff Courts.
The Cougars (19-4, 3-1 C-USA) finished the season 13-0 at home and completed an unbeaten season at Hoff Courts for the second time in program history. The last time came during the 1989-90 season.
Houston has gone 26-2 at Hoff Courts over the last two seasons since John Severance has taken over the program as head coach.
"I'm proud that the team was able to accomplish one its goals it set at the beginning of the season," Severance said. "Today was a tough match all across the board, but we dug deep winning the big points when we needed to have them."
Miller and Terblanche began the match gutting out a hard-fought 8-5 victory at No. 2 doubles, while Loli Gomez and Sonja Nikolic clinched the point with an 8-6 win.
Up 7-6, Gomez and Nikolic were down 0-30 on Gomez's serve. The pair fought back and got to deuce before Gomez ripped a forehand winner up the line to set up match point. Gomez delivered the final blow by splitting the Arkansas State pair with a fully extended volley to win the match.
In singles action, Terblanche put the Cougars up 2-0 rolling to a 6-1, 6-0 victory in the No. 5 hole, while Vicky Simpson extended the Houston advantage to 3-0 with a 6-2, 6-4 win at the bottom of the lineup.
Arkansas State stayed alive at the No. 3 spot with a 6-3, 6-2 from Zeljska Minic over Sonja Nikolic. Miller snatched the momentum back and clinched the match at 4-1 for the Cougars, registering a 6-1, 6-3 win in the No. 4 slot.
Brianna Bateup dropped a 7-6, 6-1 decision at the top of the lineup, but Gomez charged back at the No. 2 position with a 7-6, 6-4 win to put the finishing touches on the 5-2 victory.
Houston will have ten days to get ready for the C-USA Tournament in Dallas. Seedings for the tournament will be announced next week.
Houston 5, Arkansas State 2
Doubles
No. 1 - Gomez/Nikolic (UH) d. Engelbrect/Chelminska (ASU) (8-6)
No. 2 - Miller/Terblanche (UH) d. Minic/Branker (ASU) (8-5)
No. 3 - Oprea/Saravia (ASU) d. Bateup/Simpson (UH) (9-7)
Order of Finish: 2, 1, 3
Singles
No. 1 - Engelbrect (ASU) d. Gomez (UH) (7-6, 6-1)
No. 2 - Gomez (UH) d. Oprea (ASU) (7-6, 6-4)
No. 3 - Minic (ASU) d. Nikolic (UH) (6-3, 6-2)
No. 4 - Miller (UH) d. Chelminska (ASU) (6-1, 6-3)
No. 5 - Terblanche (UH) d. Branker (ASU) (6-1, 6-0)
No. 6 - Simpson (UH) d. Saravia (ASU) (6-2, 6-4)
Order of Finish: 5, 6, 3, 4, 1, 2
Players Mentioned
