Women's Tennis

By Beth Renkoski

02/14/09

No. 3 Lions Open Season With Royal Victory

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Costa Mesa, Calif – The Vanguard Lions still have room to improve, but they did open the season with a solid victory over Golden State Athletic Conference opponent Hope International. Losing in the top singles and doubles matches, the Lions carried off a 7-2 victory at the end of the day to begin the season 1-0.

The NAIA Preseason third-ranked Lions won the second and third doubles matchups by the scores of 8-4 and 8-1. HIU posted an 8-3 victory at number one to sneak into singles play trailing 2-1.

The Lions were nearly perfect in singles play as HIU collected their lone singles point in the top matchup where Bettina Radke defeated VU senior Hana Jurcovicova 6-1, 6-2. But that would be all the help the Royals would get as Kateryna Malakhova made her VU singles debut successful with a victory at the number three spot. Malakhova was leading 3-0 in the first set when her opponent had to retire because of an injury.

Betyel Tesfa was stellar at No. 2 with a 6-2, 6-1 victory, and newcomer Maria Xavier also defeated her Royal opponent in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2. Transfer Brittnie Furuvald notched a 6-2, 6-0 victory in the sixth singles match, and sophomore Anna Valingsten finally took down her HIU opponent in three sets (6-1, 2-6, 6-4) for the final 7-2 score.

The Lion women continue conference play next Tuesday when they travel to San Diego to take on the eighth-ranked Point Loma Nazarene Sea Lions.

Today's GSAC Match Scores:

Vanguard 7 vs. HIU 2

Doubles
1. Malakhova/Tesfa vs. Radke/Jurlander HIU 8-3
2. Jurcovicova/Xavier vs. Steyn/Brock VU 8-4
3. Valingsten/Furuvald vs. Munoz/Galligan VU 8-1
Singles
1. Hana Jurcovicova vs. Bettina Radke HIU 6-1, 6-2
2. Betyel Tesfa vs. Minette Steyn VU 6-2, 6-1
3. Kateryna Malakhova vs. Alexandra Weiss VU 3-0, ret
4. Anna Valingsten vs. Lotta Jurlander VU 6-1, 2-6, 6-4
5. Maria F. Xavier vs. Kristine Brock VU 6-4, 6-2
6. Brittnie Furuvald vs. Brittney Munoz VU 6-2, 6-0

Final score: VU 7 HIU 2
VU Season record 1-0 (1-0)

 

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