University of Washington
Portland
Huskies Top Pilots In Home Return
March 21, 2011 | Women's Tennis
March 21, 2011
SEATTLE - Playing in the comforts of home for the first time since February 13, the Husky women's tennis team picked up a 5-2 win over Portland this afternoon at the Nordstrom Tennis Center. Senior Venise Chan's 6-0, 6-0 win at No. 1 singles moved her into third on the UW career singles wins list with 92.
The Huskies improved to 10-7 and 3-0 on the year at home. Washington held a 5-0 lead before Portland won a couple third set super tiebreakers to make the final score closer. The win dropped Portland to 9-4 and snapped a seven match win streak.
"It's always nice to be home and I think the girls loved not having a suitcase behind them all the time," said head coach Jill Hultquist. "Vanja won by default, but she and Sam and Venise did great. Denise had a little struggle but I don't think we were really worried."
Chan defeated Stephanie Fuchs at the top singles spot to pass former All-American Claire Carter on the singles wins list. The All-American senior from Hong Kong improved to 15-1 in dual play with the win.
UW's first point in singles came from senior Vanja Radunovic. She led Gabrielle Gorence, 6-0, 1-0 when Gorence aggravated a knee injury and was forced to retire. After Chan's victory, junior Samantha Smith got the clincher, as she handled Beate Valdmane, 6-0, 6-1 at third singles. It's the third straight win for Smith who gets back even at 8-8 in dual play.
Fifth-ranked junior Denise Dy moved down to No. 2 singles for the first time since early February. She had a tough second set against Sabine Fuchs, but never lost serve, and closed out a 6-1, 6-4 victory to match Chan at 15-1 for the dual season.
Washington welcomed a new Husky to its home courts today as freshman Kelli Feeley competed for the first time at third doubles and sixth singles. Injuries had knocked UW down to five players two weeks ago, so coaches Hultquist and Coupe went looking for walk-ons. Feeley, a Newport Beach, Calif. native, was on the UW Tennis Club and earned herself a spot on the team. In her first singles match as a collegiate athlete, Feeley won the first set over Emily Mahairas at No. 6 singles, 6-4. Mahairas won the second set, 6-3. In the super-tiebreak, Feeley had a 9-4 lead and a volley that could have ended it, but it deflected back to Mahairas who won the point and was able to fight back and win the tiebreak, 11-9.
On the new addition, Hultquist said, "Kelli put up a good fight, and it's just a little inexperience and her not having a lot of matches under her belt, and figuring out how to close out the match. But asking someone like that to come out and play, against a totally different level of competition, I thought she did great. I think on the doubles court she's got good instincts as well."
Washington came out with wins at the top two doubles spots to take the point and the early 1-0 lead. Playing with its revamped lineup for the third straight match, UW improved to 2-1 in doubles points since the switch. Dy and Krsljanin improved to 3-0 at No. 2 doubles as they beat Stephanie Fuchs and Mahairas, 8-2. Moments later, Chan and Smith clinched the point with an 8-2 win of their own at No. 1 doubles over Sabine Fuchs and Hoath.
Washington Women's Tennis
March 21, 2011 - Seattle, Wash.
Nordstrom Tennis Center
No. 27 Washington 5, Portland 2
Doubles
1) Chan/Smith (UW) def. Sab. Fuchs/Hoath (UP), 8-2
2) Dy/Krsljanin (UW) def. Ste. Fuchs/Mahairas (UP), 8-2
3) Valdmane/Gorence (UP) def. Radunovic/Feeley (UW), 8-5
Order of finish: 2, 1, 3
Singles
1) (23) Venise Chan (UW) def. Stephanie Fuchs (UP), 6-0, 6-0
2) (5) Denise Dy (UW) def. Sabine Fuchs (UP), 6-1, 6-4
3) Samantha Smith (UW) def. Beate Valdmane (UP), 6-0, 6-1
4) Valeska Hoath (UP) def. Aleksandra Krsljanin (UW), 2-6, 6-1, (10-8)
5) Vanja Radunovic (UW) def. Gabrielle Gorence (UP), 6-0, 1-0, ret.
6) Emily Mahairas (UP) def. Kelli Feeley (UW), 4-6, 6-3, (11-9)
Order of finish: 5, 1, 3, 2, 6, 4
Players Mentioned
