Louisville Tops Western Kentucky 5-2 to Remain Undefeated

Sunday, January 28

LOUISVILLE, KY

11 a.m.

University of Louisville

WESTERN KENTUCKY

Louisville Tops Western Kentucky 5-2 to Remain Undefeated

January 28, 2018 | Women's Tennis

The Cardinals move to 5-0 on the season.

By: Kylie Klotzbach

In their third match of the weekend, the University of Louisville women's tennis team defeated Western Kentucky 5-2 on Sunday afternoon at the Bass-Rudd Tennis Center to move to 5-0 and remain undefeated on the season.

In doubles play, Louisville earned an early advantage from the No. 3 spot as Ariana Rodriguez and Aleksandra Mally earned the victory with a forfeit from the Hilltoppers. Western Kentucky countered with Elpida Malamou and Natalia De Ugarte's 6-1 defeat of Sena Suswam and Raven Neely from the No. 2. However, the Cardinals' duo of Abbie Pahz and Mariana Humberg battled back to clinch the doubles point with a 6-4 win over WKU's Moka Ito and Violetta Shatalova.

The Hilltoppers forfeited once again, allowing the Cardinals to take a 2-0 lead with Maya Smith's victory from the No. 6 in singles action. Louisville continued to put pressure on Western Kentucky as Tiffany Huber topped Cindy Oest 6-3, 6-4 from the No. 4 to put the Cardinals on top by a mark of 3-0.

Western Kentucky would not relent, earning their first point with De Ugarte's 0-6, 6-4, 6-3 defeat of Neely at the No. 5. Despite the challenge from the Hilltoppers, Louisville's Pahz grinded out a tightly contested victory over Shatalova at the No. 3 to seal the match for the Cardinals.

In the remaining two matches, Humberg dropped a hard-fought battle against Ito in a 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 decision at the second position, while Mally nabbed a 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 win over Malamou at the No. 1.

Up next, the Cardinals will travel to Murfreesboro, Tennessee to face Middle Tennessee on Friday at 4 p.m. ET, followed by a 2 p.m. matchup against Tulsa on the campus of Middle Tennessee.

Singles competition
1. Aleksandra Mally (LOU) def. Elpida Malamou (WKU) 6-3, 3-6, 7-5
2. Moka Ito (WKU) def. Mariana Humberg (LOU) 2-6, 6-4, 6-3
3. Abbie Pahz (LOU) def. Violetta Shatalova (WKU) 6-3, 7-6
4. Tiffany Huber (LOU) def. Cindy Oest (WKU) 6-3, 6-4
5. Natalia De Ugarte (WKU) def. Raven Neely (LOU) 0-6, 6-4, 6-3
6. Maya Smith (LOU) def. No player (WKU), by forfeit

Doubles competition
1. Abbie Pahz/Mariana Humberg (LOU) def. Moka Ito/Violetta Shatalova (WKU) 6-4
2. Elpida Malamou/Natalia De Ugarte (WKU) def. Sena Suswam/Raven Neely (LOU) 6-1
3. Ariana Rodriguez/Aleksandra Mally (LOU) def. No player (WKU), by forfeit

Match Notes:
Louisville 5-0
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (6,4,5,3,2,1)