Dukes Defeat West Virginia 4-3
April 3, 2008
GIBSONIA - Exactly 51 weeks ago, the Duquesne women's tennis team had one of their most storied victories in their 30-year history when they defeated West Virginia 4-3 April 10, 2007. It was the Dukes first-ever win against the Mountaineers. DU went into Thursday afternoon's match looking to make it two-in-a-row over WVU and seven-out-of-eight overall.
Breaking usual protocol, the singles matches were played first, with West Virginia winning the top three spots. Stacey Percival defeated Zena Williams 7-5, 6-3 at No. 1 singles, Monica Lyskawa dropped the first set 1-6 to Johanna Bezjak but rebounded taking the next two sets 7-5 and 6-2 at No.2 singles. Natalia Prinz needed three sets to get by Rebecca Poole 7-6, 2-6, 6-1.
The Dukes won the 4,5 and 6 singles. Rachel McGowan came from behind to beat Colleen Speaker 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 at No. 4 singles. Andrea Sailer defeated Ashley Pilsbury 6-3, 7-5 at No. 5 singles and Kristen Swenson was victorious over Stephanie LaFortune 6-1, 6-4.
With the singles points split at 3-3, the match would come down the doubles point. Bezjak and McGowan won a hard fought match against Prinz and Percival at No.1 doubles 8-5. Williams and Poole both shrugged off their singles losses to hand Lyskawa and LaFortune an 8-2 loss. Sailer and Alexandria Albano took No. 3 doubles 8-6 over Pilsbury and Monique Burton.
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"This team is so special," said coach Joe Camillo whose Dukes improve to 9-4, 4-1 in the season. "I can't say enough how proud I am."
Duquesne's next match will be against Niagara Sunday morning at 10:00 a.m. at the Lakeview Courts in Gibsonia.
