April 20, 2006

Tampa, Fla. - After winning the doubles point, the ninth seeded Marquette women's tennis team could not hold on losing four singles matches falling to eighth seeded Rutgers, 4-3, in the first round of the BIG EAST Championships held at the USF Varsity Courts in Tampa, Fla.

"This was a match that got away from us," said head coach Jody Bronson. "After winning the doubles point we were ready to go and had so much momentum on our side heading into singles. We needed to be in every single point and we did not do that today. That was the difference in the match."

Marquette jumped out to an early lead winning two of three doubles matches to earn the doubles point. The no. 3 doubles tandem of junior Dominika Dabrowski and freshman Robin Metzler gave Marquette its first victory of the day with dominating 8-1 win over Jill Markowitz and Lauren Edelschein. At no. 1 doubles, sophomore Maria Calbeto and freshman Lauren Little took and 8-5 win over Alina Balasa and Dana Gordon to secure the doubles point.

In singles action, junior Francina Bonnelly earned a decisive 6-0, 6-0 sweep of Edleschein at no. 5 singles to push Marquette's lead to 2-0. Rutgers rallied and claimed the next two of three matches to knot the match 3-3.

Anela Djusic defeated Robin Metzler, 6-3, 6-4, at no. 6 singles to give Rutgers its first point of the day (2-1). Sophomore Erin Watkins downed Ketevan Shmakova, 6-4, 6-1 at no. 3 singles to help give the Golden Eagles back the two-point advantage, 3-1.

Rutgers then won two straight matches tying the score at three points apiece. Dabrowski and Calbeto both played tie breakers in their first sets before falling to their Rutgers counterparts, 7-6 (3), 6-2, and 7-6 (2), 7-5, respectively.

Dana Gordon's three set (6-4, 2-6, 6-2) win over Little at the second singles position clinched the win for the Scarlet Knights.

The Scarlet Knights advance to face No. 1 seed Notre Dame, Friday morning at 9:00 a.m. ET, while the Golden Eagles fall into the consolation bracket and will face 12th seeded Connecticut for ninth place on Friday, April 21 at 3 p.m. EDT.

"We are disappointed, but now we will have to step it up and pull it together for tomorrow's match for ninth place."

#8 Rutgers 4, #9 Marquette 3

Doubles
1. Maria Calbeto/Lauren Little (MU) def. Alina Balasa/Dana Gordon (RU), 8-5*
2. Ketevan Shmakoua/Katrina Elder-Bush (RU) def. Francina Bonnelly/Erin Watkins (MU), 6-4 (DNF)
3. Dominika Dabrowski/Robin Metzler (MU) def. Jill Markowitz/Lauren Edelschein (RU), 8-1

Singles
1. Katrina Elder-Bush (RU) def. Beba Calbeto (MU), 7-6 (2), 7-5
2. Dana Gordon (RU) def. Lauren Little (MU), 6-4, 2-6, 6-2*
3. Erin Watkins (MU) def. Ketevan Shmakova (RU), 6-4, 6-1
4. Alina Balasa (RU) def. Dominika Dabrowski (MU), 7-6 (3), 6-2
5. Francina Bonnelly (MU) def. Lauren Edleschein (RU), 6-0, 6-0
6. Anela Djusic (RU) def. Robin Metzler (MU), 6-3, 6-4

Order of singles finish (5, 6, 3, 4, 1, 2)
* Denotes clinching match

Marquette Golden Eagles Women's Tennis

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