April 22, 2007

TAMPA, Fla. - The Marquette women's tennis team fell 4-1 to third-seed Louisville and finished in fourth place at the BIG EAST Tournament Sunday afternoon at the USF Varsity Courts. The Golden Eagles cap the 2007 season 12-16 overall. Host USF upset top seed Notre Dame, 4-3, to win the tournament crown.

After a highly contested doubles point, Louisville entered singles play ahead, 1-0. Marquette's top doubles duo of junior Shannon Brown and sophomore Lauren Little countered after junior Maria Calbeto and freshman Kylie Moore fell to Natalia Baez and Bianca Gorbea, 8-6, at no. 2 doubles. Brown and Little defeated Lauren Imre and Robyn White, 8-4, while the no. 3 match will being decided. At no. 3 senior Francina Bonnelly and junior Erin Watkins fell short, 8-6, to Jo-Ann Van Aerde and Natalie Laszkowski giving the Cardinals the early lead.

In singles play, Louisville's Imre defeated Little, 6-4, 6-1, at the top singles position, and Baez topped Brown (6-1, 6-2) to put the Cardinals up 3-0 in the match.

Calbeto fought back and defeated UofL's White, 6-3, 6-3, to give MU one point before Louisville's Van Aerde topped MU's Metzler in the deciding match, 6-3 and 7-5. Metzler tried to force a tie-breaking set but fell short, 7-5, in the second set.

Louisville 4, Marquette 1
BIG EAST Tournament Third Place Match

Singles
1. Lauren Imre (UofL) def Lauren Little (MU) 6-4, 6-1
2. Natalie Laszkowski (UofL) vs Kylie Moore (MU) 7-6, 3-4 - DNF
3. Bianca Gorbea (UofL) vs Erin Watkins (MU) 3-6, 4-3 - DNF
4. Maria Calbeto (MU) def. Robyn White (Uof L) 6-3, 6-3
5. Jo-Ann Van Aerde (UofL) def Robin Metzler (MU) 6-3, 7-5
6. Natalie Baez (UofL) def. Shannon Brown (MU) 6-1, 6-2

Doubles
1. Brown/Little (MU) def. Imre/White (UofL) 8-4
2. Baez/Gorbea (UofL) def. Calbeto/Moore (MU) 8-6
3. Van Aerde/Laszkowski (UofL) def Bonnelly/Watkins (MU) 8-6