Women's Tennis Edged by Western Michigan

Saturday, February 26

Bloomington, Ind.

10:00 AM

University of Louisville

Western Michigan

Suzanna Gracanin held on to win at No. 4 singles.

February 26, 2005 | Women's Tennis

Feb. 26, 2005

The University of Louisville women's tennis team fell 4-3 to Western Michigan in a neutral site match held on Indiana University's campus.

The Cardinal ranks have been decimated with injuries and U of L was down to five players going into the match. Western Michigan took the doubles point with a win at No. 1 and No. 2. Leslie Stewart and Suzanna Gracanin battled at the No. 1 slot before falling 9-8. Kelly Taylor and Robyn White struggled and fell 8-0 at No. 2. Taylor's regular partner, Natalie Laszkowski, has been battling injury and the short-handed Cardinals needed her in singles. White, whose partner Ariana Marshall went down with a knee injury last weekend, took over at No. 2 doubles. There was no No. 3 doubles match.

The Cardinals pulled off three wins in singles before falling. White powered to a 6-1, 6-2 win over Carrie Jeanmaire at No. 2. Taylor prevailed 6-3, 6-3 over Reedhina Parekh. There was a ray of hope for the Cardinals when Suzanna Gracanin overcame a 6-0 loss in the first set and came back to win 6-4 and 10-8 over Pryanka Parekh. But the patched-together Laszkowski could not hold on and fell 7-5, 6-0 to Noriko Saruta.

"To play a top 50 team this tough when you are down to five players says a lot about the character of this team," said Greg Davis, U of L head coach. "I couldn't have asked for a better effort."

SINGLESNo. 1 Rattiya Hiranrat (WMU) def. Leslie Stewart 6-0, 7-5No. 2 Robyn White (UL) def. Carrie Jeanmaire 6-1, 6-2No. 3 Kelly Taylor (UL) def. Reedhina Parekh 6-3, 6-3No. 4 Suzanna Gracanin (UL) def. Pryanka Parekh 0-6, 6-4, 10-8No. 5 Niriko Saruta (WMU) def. Natalie Laszkowski 7-5, 6-0No. 6 WMU Won by default
DOUBLESNo. 1 Remina Remymnse/Maelynn Bernosky (WMU) def. Stewart/Gracanin 9-8No. 2 Hiranrat/Saruta (WMU) def. Taylor/White 8-0No. 3 WMU won by default