Women's Tennis Falls in NCAA Battle with Hoosiers

Friday, May 9

Chicago, Ill.

11:00 AM

University of Louisville

Indiana

Lauren Imre and Robyn White notched a win at No. 2 doubles for the Cardinals.

May 09, 2008 | Women's Tennis

May 9, 2008

The University of Louisville women's tennis team bowed out of their first NCAA Tournament with a hard-fought 4-3 loss to regional rival No. 30-ranked Indiana at Vandy Christie Tennis Center in Evanston, Ill., on the campus of Northwestern.

"We put forth an extremely good effort but I think we may have fallen victim to the first time jitters with this being our first appearance in the tournament," said first year coach Mark Beckham. "This experience will help the team in the future and I am excited about the returning players and what we can accomplish in the future."

The Cardinals, however, didn't succumb to the jitter immediately, jumping on the Hoosiers by winning the doubles point. The No. 2 pair of Lauren Imre and Robyn White struck first with an 8-5 win over Alba Berdala and Lindsey Stuckey. The scrappy duo of Bianca Gorbea and Natalia Baez held off the No. 1 pair of Brianna Williams and Katya Zapadalova, notching an 8-5 win to clinch the point.

The Hoosiers regrouped and took the No. 5 singles spot when Robyn White fell 6-1, 6-2 to Lindsey Stuckey to tie the score at one. Katya Zapadalova gave IU a 2-1 edge with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Lindsey Jones. The Cardinals showed some spunk when Bianca Gorbea tied it up at two by rolling 6-2, 6-4 over Charlotte Martin at No. 3. Natalia Baez took back the lead at 3-2 with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Sigrid Fischer at No. 4. Lauren Imre battled a tenacious opponent in Alba Berdala, winning the first set 6-3 but being rocked back 1-6 in the second set. The two then squared off in the third set but Imre was edged 7-6 to re-tie the match.

All attention then turned to the pivotal No. 6 singles match. Brianna Williams tooke the first set 6-4 but U of L's Jo-Ann Van Aerde battled back to win 7-6 only to fall 6-1 in the final set to give Indiana the nod.

The Cardinals end their season at 16-8 and lose only one senior as captain Robyn White graduates.

Singles (order of finish 5, 2, 3, 4,1,6)1.) Alba Berdala (IU) def. Lauren Imre 3-6, 6-1, 7-62.) 2.Katya Zapadolova (IU) def. Lindsey Jones 6-2, 6-33.) Bianca Gorbea (UL) def. Charlotte Martin 6-2, 6-44.) Natalia Baez (UL) def. Sigrid Fischer 6-3, 6-35.) Lindsey Stuckey (IU) def. Robyn White 6-1, 6-26.) Brianna Williams (IU) def. Jo-Ann Van Aerde 6-4, 6-7, 6-1
Doubles (2, 1, dnf)1.) Baez/Gorbea def. Williams/Zapadolova 8-52.) Imre/White def. Berdala/Stuckey 8-53.) Fisher/Sopel vs. Jones/Van Aerde  dnf