Rutgers University
Minnesota
Tennis Edged by No. 69 Minnesota, 5-2
Mar 27 | Women's Tennis
EAST BRUNSWICK, N.J. (March 27, 2015) - The Rutgers women's tennis team was edged by No. 69 Minnesota, 5-2, on Friday, March 27 at the East Brunswick Racquet Club.
"We battled Minnesota to the very end," said head coach Ben Bucca. "We are disappointed in not coming out with the win, but we are very proud of our effort and performance."
The Scarlet Knights drop to an overall record of 6-9 and a mark of 0-6 in Big Ten play. The Gophers ended a two-match losing streak to improve to 12-6 overall and to a conference record of 2-2.
The doubles competition was an intense battle in today's matchup. At the No. 2 spot, the pair of senior Lindsay Balsamo (Wall, N.J.) and junior Gina Li (Hillsborough, N.J.) fought to extra serves, falling to Julia Courter and Jessika Mozia by the close score of 8-7 (3). The duo of junior Mariam Zein (Sugarland, Texas) and freshman Chloe Lee (Albuquerque, N.M.) went wire-to-wire with their opponents, dropping the match by a minimal margin of 8-6 at the No. 1 spot. The freshman pair of Farris Cunningham (Houston, Texas) and Lee Levy (Haifa, Israel) also fell by an identical score of 8-6 in their matchup.
Moving into singles action, the Scarlet Knights held up a strong battle. At the No. 5 singles spot, Zein won back-to-back sets to defeat Maja Vujic by marks of 6-3, 7-5. Li also contributed a victory at the No. 1 singles spot, topping Tereza Brichacova in the extra round by a final score of 6-1, 4-6, 6-3.
Although putting up a tough fight, Lee fell to her opponent by the slim margin of 6-2, 7-6 (5) at the No. 3 spot. At the No. 4 spot, Balsamo kept it close in the first set with a score of 7-6 (5), however, she went on to drop the matchup in the second set by a mark of 6-2.
Up next, Rutgers hosts Wisconsin on Sunday, March 29 for a noon matchup at the Rutgers Tennis Complex. The match marks Senior Day for Balsamo.
Doubles
1. Tereza Brichacova/Paula Rincon Otero (MINN) def. Mariam Zein/Chloe Lee (RU); 8-6
2. Julia Courter/Jessika Mozia (MINN) def. Lindsay Balsamo/Gina Li (RU); 8-7 (3)
3. Mehvish Safdar/Caroline Ryba (MINN) def. Farris Cunningham/Lee Levy (RU); 8-6
Singles
1. Gina Li (RU) def.Tereza Brichacova(MINN); 6-1, 4-6, 6-3
2.Caroline Ryba(MINN) def. Lindsey Kayati (RU); 3-6, 6-2, 6-2
3.Jessika Mozia(MINN) def. Chloe Lee (RU); 6-2, 7-6 (5)
4.Aria Lambert(MINN) def. Lindsay Balsamo (RU); 7-6 (5), 6-2
5. Mariam Zein (RU) def.Maja Vujic(MINN); 6-2, 7-5
6.Julia Courter(MINN) def. Farris Cunningham (RU); 6-2, 6-3
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