Long-awaited victory

Thursday, March 6, 2008

Senior Lauren Hommell won the decisive match in Wednesday’s Sunflower Showdown to lead the Kansas tennis team past the 67th ranked Kansas State Wildcats.

After dropping the first set, Hommell fought back to win the next two and defeat the Wildcats’ Olga Klimova 5-7, 6-4, 6-2. Hommell said that her experience, along with the support of her team, helped her fight off nerves down the stretch.

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In need of a comeback, the Jayhawks didn’t crack under pressure. Kansas’ upperclassmen leadership shined as the team received victories from two seniors and two juniors in singles play.

“I think it definitely does have to do with experience. My freshman year I played in the same position and I kind of went back on that and just tried to make balls,” Hommell said. “I had my whole team yell for me after every point and the support from them really helped too.”

The 4-3 victory against the Wildcats is the Jayhawks’ first against Kansas State since March 17, 2004. Along with their first victory in a Big 12 opener, Wednesday’s game marks Kansas’ first dual match victory against a ranked opponent this season since the 2003-2004 campaign.

“Ever since I have been here we haven’t beaten K-State so beating them my senior year is pretty big,” Hommell said. “Now we’re 1-0 in the Big 12 so hopefully we can take it from there.”

The Jayhawks fell behind early, dropping two out of the three doubles matches. Junior Yuliana Svistun and freshman Magdalena Tokarczyk defeated the Kansas State tandem of Vanessa Cottin and Pauline Guemas 8-3, to give Kansas its lone doubles victory.

In need of a comeback, the Jayhawks didn’t crack under pressure. Kansas’ upperclassmen leadership shined as the team received victories from two seniors and two juniors in singles play. Senior Elizaveta Avdeeva, junior Edina Horvath and junior Yuliana Svistun all won in straight sets to help lift the Jayhawks.

“I felt like the girls really came out with a lot of energy in singles,” Coach Amy Hall-Holt said. “The whole team stepped up. Not only the ones that were playing, but also the ones who were off to the side cheering them on.”

All of the Jayhawks’ losses this season, except for Illinois, have been to ranked competition. Coach Hall-Holt believes getting this first victory over a ranked opponent could push Kansas over the hill they have been struggling to climb.

“What I’ve told the girls is that we’ve been there, we’re almost there, we’re getting there and this is the edge that we needed to take us that next step,” Hall-Holt said. “Pulling this one out tonight I think it’s just going to create a great atmosphere in a positive way for all the girls.”

The Jayhawks look to keep rolling in Sunday’s game against the University of New Mexico. The match is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m.

—Edited by Madeline Hyden

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