Losses drop women's tennis' winning record
The women's tennis team, it appears, cannot catch a break. Despite breaking their four-match losing streak against University of Texas-Pan American with a 7-0 sweep, the Owls began another losing streak against formidable opponents University of Tulsa and University of North Texas, running their record to 10-11. On March 27, Rice faced off against unranked UTPA, which had lost 7-0 against Lamar only a day earlier. Coming off a pair of 4-3 losses to the University of Louisville and the University of South Alabama, the Owls desperately needed a convincing victory against this less-talented squad to start fresh and put the past behind them.
Fortunately, they were able to do just that, giving up a total of three games in doubles. The team's dominant doubles play was a morale booster, as doubles has come back to bite the Owls in almost every one of their marginal losses this season.
In singles, juniors Julie Chao and Rebecca Lin, sophomores Rebekka H?nle, Varsha Shiva-Shankar and Jessica Jackson and freshman Ana Guzman all swept their matches, with a total of five bagel sets.
Thus, after four straight losses, Rice had finally gotten a breather. But it did not last long.
The next day, the Owls played 50th-ranked and two-time defending C-USA champions Tulsa, coming fresh off a win against the 27th-ranked University of Texas. Rice came out blazing in doubles, taking the crucial point by winning two of three tight contests. The tandems of Chao and Guzman and Lin and Jackson pulled through with a pair of 8-6 clutch wins, but H?nle and sophomore Alex Rasch lost in a valiant 8-7 (5) effort. Once again, this doubles win energized a team that who has seen doubles losses ruin many of their matches.
In singles, the Owls only needed to split the matches for the win. H?nle and Guzman both won quick straight-set decisions that put Rice up 3-0. The Golden Hurricane, however, rallied to take the next four matches, with Rice struggling in every remaining contest.
The match-up that redirected the momentum to the away team was at No. 1, a battle showcasing Chao and Alexandra Kichoutkin. Chao easily took the first set 6-1 and led 3-1 in the tiebreaker of the second set, but Kichoutkin, somehow, stormed back for a 7-5 win. Disheartened, Chao showed little gusto in the final set, rolling over to lose 6-0 in the deciding set.
When Chao threw her racket towards her bench, disgusted with her play, she could only watch as Jackson and Shiva-Shanker each lost three-setters. Lin then lost a 7-5, 6-4 tight match at No. 5. After earning a lead in doubles, the team was across-the-board unsuccessful in singles play. Though this match was tough and resulted in defeat, the Owls might get a shot at revenge against Tulsa in the C-USA Tournament, which will be played at Jake Hess Tennis Stadium starting next Thursday.
Following the heart-breaking defeat, the bleeding was not done as Rice suffered a loss against the unranked University of North Texas. The Owls dropped the doubles due to an 9-8 (9-7) loss at the second spot by Jackson and Lin. However, the women jumped out to a 2-1 lead with wins from Guzman and H?nle. Close three-set losses by Shiva-Shankar and Lin, along with straight-set losses by Jackson and Chao, resulted in the 5-2 loss.
"We were really disappointed with that loss, by far," Jackson said. "I think this is the low point of our season. For some reason, we didn't come out with that same energy we normally do. We had a players' meeting that addressed all the things we need to work on. We just need to focus on the positives, be fiery and play good tennis that we know we are all capable of doing."
Even though the team has dropped several matches recently, Head Coach Elizabeth Schmidt believes the team has it in them to improve play for the remainder of the season.
"We had disappointing losses, but we have girls that want to win," Schmidt said. "It's good to see that they are taking it personally. Sometimes it takes a loss like this to bounce back and get even better. We know we are right there, but it's important to end the season on a high note. It's times like this when we realize what we can do: We can either fold or step up. [It's a] good thing we have a group of fighters."
Rice will face No. 22 Southern Methodist University on Friday at 2 p.m. and Northwestern State University at 9 a.m. on Saturday before playing host to the C-USA Tournament.
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