No. 35 Texas A&M Stuns No. 36 Kansas State
Apr 18, 2003 | Tennis
April 18, 2003
MANHATTAN, Kan. - The 36th-ranked Kansas State tennis team had its five-match winningstreak snapped Friday when No. 35 Texas A&M stunned the Wildcats witha 7-0 victory at the Washburn Tennis Facility on the K-State campus.The last time the Wildcats were shut out was Jan. 27, 2001 againstNo. 19 Mississippi.
With the loss, K-State dropped to 12-5 overall and 7-3 in theBig 12 Conference. Texas A&M improved to 16-9 overall and 8-2 in theleague. With one match remaining, the 'Cats are now tied withOklahoma for fourth place in the Big 12 standings. The Wildcats needa win Sunday for a chance at a bye in the Big 12 ConferenceChampionship, April 24-27, in Kansas City, Mo. Baylor is in firstplace with a 9-1 record, A&M second and Texas third with a 7-2 mark.
"I think the first thing is Texas A&M is playing very well.They were very resilient and every time we changed things up, theywould adjust," Kansas State head coach Steve Bietau said. "We didn'thandle ourselves well. Part of the circumstance was they haven't beenin a situation like this before with a big match against upperdivision competition. I think they are stunned. Having something bigon the line and playing a big-time team."
Kansas State was in the match early when the Wildcats' No. 1doubles team of Petra Sedlmajerova and Paulina Castillejos were up7-4 on the 58th-ranked doubles team in the country, Jessica Rolandand Roberta Spencer. But the Aggies won the next five games to winthe match, 9-7. K-State's No. 3 doubles team of Maria Rosenberg andJessica Simosa was up 2-1 early in their match, but fell behind 6-4.The Wildcats rallied to tie the match at 7-7, but Texas A&M's NickiMechem and Danielle Lee took the next two games for the win. At No. 2doubles, Hayley McIver and Andrea Cooper were never in the match,losing 8-2 to Ashley Hedberg and Lauren Walker.
Down 1-0 entering singles, the Wildcat won only three sets inthe six singles matches. At No. 2, Rosenberg lost to Hedberg, 4-6,6-0, 6-3. The Manhattan High product is now 12-4 in dual matches, 6-3in the Big 12 Conference and 17-9 overall. Cooper lost to SevaIwinski, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 at No. 6 singles. The sophomore is now 10-4 indual matches, 5-3 in the league and 16-10 overall. The otherthree-set match went to Spencer who beat K-State's Simosa 6-3, 4-6,6-1 at No. 3. The Wildcat freshman is now 10-6 in dual matches, 5-4in the conference and 14-12 overall.
Sedlmajerova lost to Roland, ranked No. 100 in the ITArankings, 6-2, 6-1 at No. 1 singles. The senior falls to 10-6 in dualmatches, 5-4 in Big 12 action and 15-11 overall. McIver had hersix-match winning streak snapped when she played her second careermatch at No. 4 singles. She lost to Walker, 6-1, 6-2. The left-handeris now 11-4 in dual matches, 7-2 in the conference and 20-10 overall.Castillejos lost her third-straight match, falling to Mechem, 6-4,6-4 at No. 5.
Kansas State plays its final regular-season home match of theyear when it hosts No. 32 Texas at 10 a.m. Sunday at the WashburnTennis Facility on the K-State campus.
(36) Kansas State vs. (35) Texas A&M
April 18, 2003 - Manhattan, Kan. - Washburn Tennis Facility
Team Score - Texas A&M 7, Kansas State 0
KSU Team Record: 12-5, 7-3. A&M Team Record: 16-9, 8-2
Singles
1.Jessica RolandA&Mdef. Petra Sedlmajerova, KS6-2, 6-1
2.Ashley HedbergA&M def. Maria Rosenberg, KS4-6,6-0, 6-3
3.Roberta SpencerA&Mdef. Jessica Simosa, KS 6-3,4-6, 6-1
4.Lauren WalkerA&Mdef. Hayley McIver, KS 6-1, 6-2
5.Nicki MechemA&Mdef. Paulina Castillejos, KS6-4, 6-4
6.Seva IwinskiA&Mdef. Andrea Cooper, KS 2-6, 6-3, 6-4
Doubles
1.Roland/SpencerA&M def. Castillejos/Sedlmajerova, KS9-7
2.Hedberg/WalkerA&Mdef. Cooper/McIver, KS 8-2
3.Lee/MechemA&Mdef. Simosa/Rosenberg, KS 9-7
