Women's Tennis Takes Auburn 5-2 in Road Win

Thursday, March 16

Auburn, Ala.

2:00 PM

University of Louisville

Auburn

March 16, 2006 | Women's Tennis

March 16, 2006

The No. 68 ranked University of Louisville women's tennis team downed Auburn 5-2 Thursday afternoon in Auburn, Ala.

The Cardinals (14-4) took the doubles point and went up 3-0 before the Tigers came back to win the next two matches before the Cardinals were able to gain their momentum back by taking the final two matches.

"Any time you can get a win on the road over an SEC school, you take it," said Greg Davis. "This team has such a great fighting spirit about it."

Louisville took the doubles point starting with Natalie Laszkowski and Suzanna Gracanin, who paired to win at No. 3, beating Leigh Tippins and Irina Pljusznyin 8-6. The freshman duo of Bianca Gorbea and Natalia Baez held on to win 9-7 over Whitney Chappell and Tori Almagno and take the point.

Laszkowski finished first in singles with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Tippins at No. 5 with Gorbea cruising in her wake with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Ashley Cowart at No. 2. Up 3-0, U of L faltered a bit when the normally stalwart freshman Maria Klokotzky fell 7-5, 6-1 at No. 1. Robyn White fell 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 to take Auburn to within one at 3-2. Gracanin clinched the match with a three set win over Almagno 7-5, 3-6, 6-1 at No. 4. Baez finished the match by outlasting Pljusznyin in three sets at No. 6.

Singles1. Whitney Chappell, AU def. Maria Klokotzky, 7-5, 6-1.2. Bianca Gorbea, Louisville def. Ashley Cowart, AU, 6-1, 6-1.3. Alex Haney, AU def. Robyn White, Louisville, 2-6, 6-4, 6-1.4. Suzanna Gracanin, Louisville def. Tori Almagno, AU, 7-5, 3-6, 6-1.5. Natalie Laszkowski, Louisville def. Leigh Tippins, AU, 6-4, 6-3.6. Natalia Baez, Louisville def. Irina Pljusznyin, AU, 6-3, 1-6, 6-4.
Order of Finish: 5, 2, 1, 3, 4, 6
Doubles1. Alex Haney/Ashley Cowart, AU def. Robyn White/Maria Klokotzky,Louisville 8-5.2. Bianca Gorbea/Natalia Baez, Louisville def. Whitney Chappell/ToriAlmagno, AU 9-7.3. Natalie Laszkowski/Suzanna Gracanin, Louisville def. LeighTippins/Irina Pljusznyin, AU 8-6.
Order of Finish: 3, 1, 2