March 8, 2008

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Marquette women's tennis team got wins from senior Erin Watkins and sophomore Elly Strother, but it was not enough as No. 50 Louisville snapped the Golden Eagles' five-match win streak with a 5-2 defeat Saturday afternoon at the Bass-Rudd Tennis Center.

With the loss, Marquette drops to 6-8 overall, 2-1 in BIG EAST play.

The Cardinals took the first point of the day in doubles competition and never looked back. The Golden Eagles did pick up a win at No. 2 doubles as Watkins and freshman Rachael Hush teamed to take down Robyn White and Olivia Marshall, 8-4.

In singles play, Louisville picked up wins at Nos. 2, 3, 4, and 5 to secure the win.

Marquette's victories came at Nos. 1 and 6 as Wakins outlasted Lindsey Jones at the top singles slot, 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (8-6). Strother won her first conference match of the season by defeating Marshal, 6-2, 6-0, at No. 6.

The Golden Eagles will return to action on March 15 to host Michigan at Helfaer Tennis Stadium. Doubles play will begin at 12:30 p.m.

#50 Louisville 5, Marquette 2

Singles competition:
1. Watkins, Erin (MARQ) def. Jones, Lindsey (LOU) 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (8-6)
2. Gorbea, Bianca (LOU) def. Calbeto, Maria (MARQ) 6-4, 6-2
3. Baez, Natalia (LOU) def. Hush, Rachael (MARQ) 6-3, 7-5
4. White, Robyn (LOU) def. Metzler, Robin (MARQ) 6-1, 6-1
5. Van Aerde, Jo-Ann (LOU) def. Wilson, Maggie (MARQ) 6-0, 4-6, 6-0
6. Strother, Elly (MARQ) def. Marshall, Olivia (LOU) 6-2, 6-0

Doubles competition:
1. Baez, Natalia/Gorbea, Bianca (LOU) def. Ruiz, Christina/Calbeto, Maria (MARQ) 8-2
2. Hush, Rachael/Watkins, Erin (MARQ) def. White, Robyn/Marshall, Olivia (LOU) 8-4
3. Jones, Lindsey/Van Aerde, Jo-Ann (LOU) def. Brown, Shannon/Wilson, Maggie (MARQ) 8-3