March 16, 2009
COLLLEGE STATION, Texas - Texas A&M's Elzé Potgieter has been named the Big 12 Women's Tennis Player of the Week for matches played March 9-15, the conference office announced today. It marks the first time the junior from Bloemfontein, South Africa, has received the honor.
A&M's Conor Pollock received the conference honor on the men's side, completing an Aggie sweep of the league's weekly tennis honor.
Potgieter had a come-from-behind three-set victory to defeat Texas Tech's Samantha van der Drift, 4-6, 6-1, 6-3 at the No. 1 singles line. Her win clinched the match-winning point as A&M defeated the No. 62 Lady Raiders, 5-2, Thursday at the indoor courts at the City of Bryan Tennis Center.
Potgieter was nearly unable to finish the singles match after taking a medical timeout due to a leg injury while holding a 4-3 lead in the first set. Although she dropped the first set, Potgieter fought through the injury to win the next two sets, extending her winning streak to a team-best four matches and evening her record at 5-5 in dual matches.
Potgieter also helped clinched the doubles point in the Aggies' only match of the week as she and freshman partner Sheri Olivier rallied. After the teams had split the matches at the No. 1 and 2 courts, Potgieter and Olivier trailed Tech's Natalie Leitch and Simone Templeton, 7-6, at the No. 3 line. With the crucial point up for grabs, the Aggie tandem reeled off three consecutive games to win the match and secure the doubles point for A&M. With the win, the pair improved to 7-2 in dual matches.
Potgieter and the Aggies (5-6, 1-1 Big 12) return to action Friday as they play host to the Oklahoma State Cowgirls (7-6, 1-1 Big 12). First serve is slated for 6 p.m. at the George P. Mitchell Tennis Center.