Marquette University
Rutgers
Golden Eagles Rally to Defeat Rutgers, 4-3
4/19/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
April 19, 2008
TAMPA, Fla. - The Marquette women's tennis team rallied after losing to doubles point to get four singles wins at Nos. 3, 4, 5 and 6, and pull out a 4-3 win over No. 8 seed Rutgers Saturday afternoon at the BIG EAST Tournament in Tampa, Fla. The win helps Marquette stay even, 13-13, on the season and move on to play St. John's for fifth place Sunday at 9 a.m. on the P.E. Courts.
"We won with pure heart and guts today," said head coach Jody Bronson. "We were down after losing the doubles point, but we dug deep and found a way to pull this out and win. It wasn't pretty, but we won and that is the main thing. Tomorrow we are going to try to play at a higher level. Coming out and winning the doubles point would be a big boost."
Rutgers' 1-0 early lead quickly became 2-0 as senior Erin Watkins fell 6-4, 6-2 to Amy Zhang at No. 2. But the Scarlet Knights' advantage would be short lived as Marquette rattled off three straight-set wins from the bottom of the lineup to go ahead 3-2. Freshman Christina Ruiz downed Caitlin Baker at No. 4, 7-5, 6-1. Fellow classmate Rachael Hush was next off the court after taking down Christine Tran, 6-2, 6-0, which helped even the score, 2-2. Junior Robin Metzler's 6-4, 6-4 win at No. 6 over Anela Dujsic gave Marquette the lead, 3-2, with two matches remaining.
Marquette needed to win one more match to secure the victory, but wouldn't get it from junior Lauren Little at No.1. Little dropped the first set, 6-4, came back to win the second, 4-6, but fell short in the third set, 6-2, to leave the match in the hands of senior Maria Calbeto at No. 3.
With the pressure on Calbeto dropped the first set, 6-2, but turned the tables and won the second set 6-2. In a do-or-die third set, Calbeto won the match point for MU defeating Katherine Arlak, 6-2, in the third set while serving the entire set underhand due to injury.
"She came through today for us as she has done many times in the past," said Bronson of Calbeto's inspiring performance. "She is a senior and that is what seniors do. She knew the match was lying in her hands and she did everything she could to win."
No. 4 Marquette, 4, No. 8 Rutgers, 3
Doubles
1. Elder-Bush/Arlak (RU) def. Little/Brown (MU), 9-8 (4)
2. Ruiz/Calbeto (MU) def. Zaretser/Tran (RU), 9-7
3. Zhang/Baker (RU) def. Hush/Watkins (MU), 8-4
Singles
1. Katrina Elder-Bush (RU) def. Lauren Little (MU), 6-2, 4-6, 6-2
2. Amy Zhang (RU) def. Erin Watkins (MU), 6-4, 6-2
3. Maria Calbeto (MU) def. Katherine Arlak (RU), 2-6, 6-2, 6-2
4. Christina Ruiz (MU) def. Caitlin Baker (RU), 7-5, 6-1
5. Rachael Hush (MU) def. Christine Tran (RU), 6-2, 6-0
6. Robin Metzler (MU) def. Anela Dujsic (RU), 6-4, 6-4
Order of singles finish: 2, 4, 5, 6, 1, 3
Players Mentioned
