Feb. 9, 2008

Final Stats

TUCSON, Ariz. - After trailing 3-0 in its match against #38 University of Arizona, the University of Houston scratched and clawed its way back into the match, only to lose to the Wildcats in a pair of three-set matches. With the loss the Cougars fall to 2-3 on the year and face #18 Arizona State to wrap up their trip to the Desert Southwest.

The Wildcats took the doubles point, even though Jordan McCombs and Lucy Forward took care of Arizona's #1 doubles team of Natalia Toporwska and Katie Orletsky, 8-2. Then, Houston fell at #1 and #3 singles before mounting its comeback.

Leila Salek took out Toporowska at #2 singles, with a 6-1, 1-6, 6-1 decision, and then Vicky Simpson rallied for a 3-6, 6-0, 6-3 win over Ariane Masschelein at #6 singles. However, both Lynley Wasson and McCombs lost in thrilling three-set matches to give the win to the Wildcats. Wasson fell to Jane Huh, 7-5, 4-6, 12-10, while McCombs won the first set, 6-4, before dropping two straight, 6-3, 7-5 to Orletsky, even though she was knotted at five-all in that third set.

"We gave them a scare," said UH head coach John Severance. "There was two three-set matches that decided who won. Even though we were down, 3-0, I was proud of the way we fought back to give ourselves a chance. Plus, that win at #1 doubles was huge.

"We keep losing the tight matches, so we have to start winning a few of these. We were just points away from beating a Top 40 team."

In her match at #1 singles, Forward showed the effects of being out due to illness the last week, falling to Danielle Steinberg, 6-0, 6-1. At #3 Izabella Glinska was overpowered by Claire Rietsch, 6-1, 6-1.