Feb. 22, 2009
Post Game Audio [mp3]:
Head Coack Kleinecke
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - No 31 Wake Forest picked up its second consecutive victory over a Top 25 team, defeating No. 25 Texas A&M, 5-1, today at the Wake Forest Indoor Tennis Center.
The 31st-ranked Demon Deacons, who were coming off a 5-2 victory over No. 24 William and Mary on Saturday, dropped the doubles point but held on to win five singles matches -- four in three sets -- to earn the win and improve to 8-1.
A&M suffers its third consecutive loss and falls to 3-4.
A&M earned its only point by winning two doubles matches. The Aggie duo of Elzé Potgieter improved to 4-1 with an 8-3 victory over Katarina Reveche and Christian Tara at the No. 3 line. Janelle Cuthbertson and Stephanie Davidson, paired together for the first time, then clinched the point for A&M with an 8-6 victory over 45th-ranked Sasha Kulikova and Sierra Poske at the No. 1 position.
A&M's Morgan Frank and Christi Liles held a 7-6 edge over Aileen Davis and Emilee Malvehy at the No. 2 line, but because of travel constraints, the match was not completed.
Wake Forest gained the momentum early in singles play, winning the first set on five courts. Tara completed a straight-set 6-4, 6-0 victory over Olivier at the No. 4 line to knot the score at 1-1.
The remaining five courts all went to three sets as A&M began to make a comeback. The Aggies won second sets on four courts -- Potgieter was the only A&M player to win a first set, but 49th-ranked Kulikova took the second set. The Aggies' comeback came up short, however, as the Demon Deacons won the third set on four courts.
Malvehy gave the Demon Deacons a 2-1 lead with a 7-6 (5), 0-6, 6-0 victory over Liles at the No. 3 line. Ryann Cutillo defeated Lauren Santacroce, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 at No. 5 to put Wake Forest ahead, 3-1, and 89th-ranked Poske downed Frank, 6-2, 2-6, 6-3, to clinch the winning point for the Demon Deacons.
Reveche quickly followed, finishing off a 6-3, 3-6, 6-0 win over Davidson at the No. 6 line to put the Demon Deacons up 5-1.
Kulikova, ranked No. 49, had dropped her first set against 102nd-ranked Potgieter, 7-5, but won nine straight games to win the second set and take a 3-0 lead in the third set. Due to A&M's travel schedule, the match was halted.
(Note: Audio of A&M coach Bobby Kleinecke is available at AggieAthletics.com)
The Aggies return home Friday to play host to 69th-ranked University of South Florida. First serve is at 6 p.m. at the George P. Mitchell Tennis Center.
(31) Wake Forest 5, (25) Texas A&M 1
February 22, 2009
Wake Forest Indoor Tennis Center
Winston-Salem, N.C.
Attendance: n/a
Singles
1. (102) Elzé Potgieter (A&M) vs. (49) Sasha Kulikova (WFU), DNF
2. (89) Sierra Poske (WFU) def. Morgan Frank (A&M), 6-2, 2-6, 6-3
3. Emilee Malvehy (WFU) def. Christi Liles (A&M), 7-6 (5), 0-6, 6-0
4. Christian Tara (WFU) def. Sheri Olivier (A&M), 6-4, 6-0
5. Ryann Cutillo (WFU) def. Lauren Santacroce (A&M), 6-3, 4-6, 6-2
6. Katarina Reveche (WFU) def. Stephanie Davidson, 6-3, 3-6, 6-0
Doubles (A&M wins the point)
1. Cuthbertson/ Davidson (A&M) def. (45) Kulikova/Poske (WFU), 8-6
2. Frank/Liles (A&M) vs. Aileen Davis/Malvehy (WFU), DNF
3. Olivier/Potgieter (A&M) def. Reveche/Tara (WFU), 8-3
Order of finish
Doubles: 3,1
Singles: 4, 3, 5, 2, 6
*Clinched match
Team records
Texas A&M: 3-4
Wake Forest: 8-1
2009 NCAA Tennis Championships: Texas A&M will host the 2009 NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Tennis Championships, May 14-25, at the George P. Mitchell Tennis Center in College Station, Texas. Tickets can be purchased online at 12ManFoundation.com or by calling 1-888-99-AGGIE.