As he attempts to build the U women’s tennis team into a competitive force in the Mountain West Conference, coach John Tsumas could not be more pleased with the way the Utes finished off their first two regular-season matches.
Utah State and Air Force were two of the teams last year’s injury-depleted Utes did beat, so both were looking for some revenge this past weekend. However, they would not get a sniff, as the Utes defeated Utah State 5-2, and Air Force 4-3.
The Aggies provided little competition for the Utes. All three doubles teams won for Utah. Irini Kotoglou and Allison Hansen knocked out Utah State’s top doubles team of Sarah Lowe and Caroline Pollock in what was the closest doubles match, at 8-6.
The only two Ute players to lose in singles play were Ellen Svensson and Cassie Kasteler. Kotoglou, Hansen, Sheri Esrock and Linn Ronnberg all won their singles matches handily.
The first conference matchup of the season against Air Force proved to be a much tougher draw than Utah State.
Svensson and Kasteler lost in the doubles matchup against Brooke Parsons and Laura Nigro. Ronnberg/Esrock was the only U doubles team to win, as it walloped Kelli O’Bryant and Miclynn Crail 8-2.
The bread and butter for the Utes was their singles play, as the team won four of the six matches, with only Ronnberg and Kotoglou going down.
Svensson and Kasteler came back in a big way in the singles competition. Svensson defeated Nigro in a grueling match, 5-7, 6-2, 7-6. Kasteler made everyone forget about the doubles loss when she completely ripped apart O’Byant, 6-0, 6-0.
Meanwhile, Hansen smoked Kristen Jones 6-1, 6-1, and Esrock continued her brilliant play, as she easily defeated Gina Black 6-1, 6-0. With the win, Esrock amassed an undefeated record over the weekend as she won all her singles and doubles matches.
Although the Utes defeated Air Force last year with the same score, this season, Utah has gotten off to a faster start and looks much improved with all its players competing at full or close to full strength.
Next week, the Utes look to continue the winning streak as they will face Weber State at home. Last season, the Utes defeated the Wildcats in Ogden 5-2.