Michigan State University
Penn St
MSU Women's Tennis Thumps Penn State, 6-1
3/28/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
March 28, 2004
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State women's tennis team won all six singles matches en route to a 6-1 victory over Penn State Sunday at the MSU Outdoor Tennis Courts. The victory improved MSU's record to 6-8 overall and 1-2 in the Big Ten, while Penn State slipped to 6-9 and 0-3.
"Today we came out a step behind in doubles but we stepped it up big time in singles," said MSU head coach Tim Bauer. "After doubles, our assistant coach (Brett Page) challenged the team that it could be 6-1 at the end of the match and it was."
After dropping all three doubles matches to fall into a 1-0 hole, MSU came out firing on all pistons in singles. Junior Keri Thompson (Clark Lake, Mich.) got MSU on the board first with a quick 6-3, 6-4 win at No. 1 vs. Penn State's Leigh Ann Merryman.
"I realized yesterday that it's all about my attitude before I go out on the court," said Thompson. "We said yesterday after we lost 4-3 that we were going to have to come out and think positive. We tried our hardest and we came out fighting hard."
Freshman Jessica Baron (Miami, Fla.) gave MSU a 2-1 lead soon after with a convincing 6-3, 6-1 win at No. 6 over Katelyn BeVard. Moments later, senior Caroline Lay (Brisbane, Australia) made it 3-1 with a 6-4, 6-2 win at No. 2 against Penn State's Megan Marton.
"We came together after doubles and thought, 'you know what, we can do this,'" said Lay. "When you don't win doubles, you always go into singles thinking you want to make up for it."
With MSU on the verge of the match victory, freshman Pascale Schnitzer (Santiago, Chile) was up a set on Sasha Abraham at No. 5, but fell into a 5-3 hole in the second set. Schnitzer broke serve, then evened the score and eventually sent the set into a tiebreaker, where she dominated on her way to a 6-2, 7-6(2) win to clinch the victory for the Spartans.
"I really wanted to win," said Schnitzer. "I always thought I could win the match. I think the attitude of the team was really good today. Our energy was good and we all supported each other."
Two singles matches went to a third set, but even with the victory secured, MSU didn't let up. After dropping the opening set, sophomore Shelley Brady (Grand Blanc, Mich.) rallied for a 3-6, 6-4, 6-0 win at No. 3 over Maaria Husain. And at No. 4, freshman Sarah Andrews (Darwin, Australia) fell into a 4-1 hole in the third set, but won the next five points for a 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 win over Sarah Spence.
Bauer credited the team's mindset after doubles as contributing to the victory. "First and foremost we focus on having a winning attitude, and we needed this win," said Bauer. "Winning is fuel and I think this is going to drive us to a good Big Ten season."
"We try not to think that winning is everything but sometimes it really is," stated Thompson. "Since we won, now we're going to have confidence for Iowa and Minnesota next week."
"Going into Minnesota and Iowa next weekend, those are two matches that are open to us," added Lay. "We just have to roll with it now. We're really excited and hopefully we can stay together and keep it going.
Michigan State will visit Minnesota Saturday, April 3, before taking on Iowa, Sunday, April 4. Both matches begin at 10 a.m.
Women's TennisMichigan State 6, Penn State 1March 28, 2004East Lansing, Mich.
DoublesNo. 1 - Marton/Merryman (PSU) def. Thompson/Lay (MSU), 8-6No. 2 - Spence/Husain (PSU) def. Andrews/Brady (MSU), 9-8(3)No. 3 - Abraham/BeVard (PSU) def. Schnitzer/Baron (MSU), 8-3
SinglesNo. 1 - Keri Thompson (MSU) def. Leigh Ann Merryman (PSU), 6-3, 6-4No. 2 - Caroline Lay (MSU) def. Megan Marton (PSU), 6-4, 6-2No. 3 - Shelley Brady (MSU) def. Maaria Husain (PSU), 3-6, 6-4, 6-0No. 4 - Sarah Andrews (MSU) def. Sarah Spence (PSU), 3-6, 6-4, 6-0No. 5 - Pascale Schnitzer (MSU) def. Sasha Abraham (PSU), 6-2, 7-6(2)No. 6 - Jessica Baron (MSU) def. Katelyn BeVard (PSU), 6-3, 6-1
Players Mentioned
