Gordon Guides ULTo Fifth Straight Win
Mia "The Hammer" Gordon put the pin to the head on Wednesday afternoon, securing the final point in a three-set tiebreak as Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns women's tennis team downed Northwestern State, 4-3, at Cajun Courts. The win was the fifth straight for the Cajuns who improve to 9-4 on the season.
"This team has had nerves of steel the past few days," said UL head coach Greg Harkins. "This is the type of win a 9-4 team finds ways to win. We've been down multiple times but battled back each time. As a coach, you couldn't be more proud of the effort from the entire team and the tremendous support from the student body and community."
Gordon, a senior from Toronto, Ontario, was instrumental not only in the final singles match, but played a critical role in securing the doubles point.
"Mia was our anchor today," said Harkins. "She a leader on the court and the deciding factor; closing out match point after match point."
The Cajuns and Lady Demons split the first two doubles matches. In the third match, Gordon teamed up with Milou Israel and the duo quickly found themselves down, 2-5, but roared back to tie the match at 5-5.
The two teams battled back and forth before pushing the match to an 8-8 tiebreak. In the tiebreak, the Cajuns' pairing went up 3-1 before finding themselves trailing 6-4 with the match on the line. Gordon and Israel saved two match points before claiming the tiebreak, 8-6, and giving UL the first point of the afternoon.
Two more points came quickly for the Cajuns as Julie Mazinova and Audrey Wooland won their individual matches by the score of 6-3, 6-2 from the no. 1 and no. 2 spots respectively.
"Julie and Audrey are playing at a high level," added Harkins. "They just come out and compete, match after match after match."
But the 3-0 lead did not last long as NSU grabbed wins at the no. 3, no. 4 and no. 5 positions to tie the match at 3-3.
In the final and deciding match of the day, the Lady Demons' Kathrin Lange won the first set by a decisive score of 6-0. But then Gordon let the hammer fall.
In the second set, Gordon won 6-2. The third set started off strong with a 3-0 lead for Gordon. But Lange drew the match even at 3-3. The two battled back and forth eventually tying again at 5-5 before Gordon claimed a 6-5 lead. She had a chance to closeout the set and the match after going up 40-love but Lange fought off three match points to push the match to a tiebreak.
In the tiebreak, Gordon found her second wind and pushed out to a 5-3 lead before winning 7-4 to clinch the match win for the Cajuns.
The team has earned a day off before facing nationally-ranked No. 75 Akron on Saturday. First serve is at 9:00 a.m. CT.
Tennis Match Results
Northwestern State vs Louisiana
Mar 16, 2011 at Lafayette, La.
Louisiana 4, Northwestern State 3
Singles competition
1. Mazinova, Julie (UL) def. Bazhanova, Olga (NWLA) 6-2, 6-3
2. Wooland, Audrey (UL) def. Curukovic, Adna (NWLA) 6-2, 6-3
3. Rubesova, Martina (NWLA) def. Israel, Milou (UL) 7-5, 6-2
4. Schulz, Bianca (NWLA) def. Vasovic, Tara (UL) 6-1, 6-3
5. Nedorostova, Andrea (NWLA) def. Alhqvist, Sandra (UL) 6-2, 7-6 (8-6)
6. Gordon, Mia (UL) def. Lange, Kathrin (NWLA) 0-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7-4)
Doubles competition
1. Mazinova, Julie/Wooland, Audrey (UL) def. Bazhanova, Olga/Curukovic, Adna (NWLA) 8-2
2. Nedorostova, Andrea/Rubesova, Martina (NWLA) def. Alhqvist, Sandra/Appleyard, Hannah (UL) 8-3
3. Gordon, Mia/Israel, Milou (UL) def. Lange, Kathrin/Schulz, Bianca (NWLA) 9-8 (8-6)
Match Notes:
Northwestern State 8-3
Louisiana 9-4
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2, 3); Singles (1,2,3,4,5,6)
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Re: Gordon Guides ULTo Fifth Straight Win
Re: Gordon Guides ULTo Fifth Straight Win
