University of Memphis Athletics
Thursday, April 21
Memphis, Tenn.
3:00 pm
University of Memphis
3
vs
4
Southern Methodist University
Photo by: Ben Solomon
Women’s Tennis Falls in Quarterfinals, 4-3
Apr 21, 2016 | Women's Tennis
Tigers season ends with comeback effort against three seeds.
MEMPHIS – The University of Memphis women's tennis team's season was drama-filled until the end.
"It was a great day," Head Coach Hayden Perez said. "It was great to compete with a full lineup. It was our first time to have a full lineup in four or six weeks."
The Tigers came back from 3-0 down in the match to tie it at 3-all, which meant Tara McElroy, who has missed over a month and a half of competition due to a foot injury, stepped on the court for her first singles competition since February 27th.
"Tara just showed some amazing heart," Perez said. "She still wasn't 100 percent, but she was begging coach Haymond all day to go out there and play. So we checked with the doctor and we got the okay and it was just an exciting match to be a part of, and I loved every second of it."
Memphis had fallen behind as SMU grabbed the doubles point with wins at two and three doubles and then added straight set singles wins at one and two. But Janina Berres started the Memphis comeback with a 6-1, 6-3 win at four singles. Marta Morga was seconds behind her, grabbing a 6-3, 7-5 win at three and Gabrielle Paul evened the match by breaking serve for a 7-5, 6-3 victory of her own at five singles for three all in the match.
McElroy had come out on to court four following Beres' win, and rode the momentum of the crowd to an early lead in the first set, but fell 7-5, 6-4 in a heroic effort.
"We went around to each player and told them today is going to be all about your will power and it's going to come down to heart and that's exactly what happened. Tara left it all out there, so we can't really hang out heads on that one."
The 4-3 loss ends Memphis' (3-17) season. The team will continue to host the conference championship tournament at MUS, Friday, with the women's semifinals set to play at 3 p.m. No. 1 seeded Tulsa will face Houston, who upset No. 4 seeded UCF, 4-0, while number two seeded USF will face SMU in the other semifinal.
SMU 4, Memphis 3
Doubles
No. 1 – Hanna Sohn/Janina Berres (Memphis) def. #82 Vaszilisza Bulgakova/Hristina Dishkova, 6-3
No. 2 – Dasha Sharapova/Mary Wright def. Gabrielle Paul/Kathryn Hughes (Memphis), 6-3
No. 3 – Ana Perez-Lopez/Macie Elliott def. Marta Morga/Tara McElroy (Memphis), 6-1
Singles
No. 1 – Hristina Dishkova def. Hanna Sohn (Memphis), 6-2, 6-2
No. 2 – Vaszilisza Bulgakova def. Kathryn Hughes (Memphis), 6-4, 6-1
No. 3 – Marta Morga (Memphis) def. Dasha Sharapova, 6-3, 7-5
No. 4 – Janina Berres (Memphis) def. Ana Perez-Lopez, 6-1, 6-3
No. 5 – Gabrielle Paul (Memphis) def. Mary Wright, 7-5, 6-3
No. 6 – Macie Elliott def. Tara McElroy (Memphis), 7-5, 6-4 *
*clinched match
"It was a great day," Head Coach Hayden Perez said. "It was great to compete with a full lineup. It was our first time to have a full lineup in four or six weeks."
The Tigers came back from 3-0 down in the match to tie it at 3-all, which meant Tara McElroy, who has missed over a month and a half of competition due to a foot injury, stepped on the court for her first singles competition since February 27th.
"Tara just showed some amazing heart," Perez said. "She still wasn't 100 percent, but she was begging coach Haymond all day to go out there and play. So we checked with the doctor and we got the okay and it was just an exciting match to be a part of, and I loved every second of it."
Memphis had fallen behind as SMU grabbed the doubles point with wins at two and three doubles and then added straight set singles wins at one and two. But Janina Berres started the Memphis comeback with a 6-1, 6-3 win at four singles. Marta Morga was seconds behind her, grabbing a 6-3, 7-5 win at three and Gabrielle Paul evened the match by breaking serve for a 7-5, 6-3 victory of her own at five singles for three all in the match.
McElroy had come out on to court four following Beres' win, and rode the momentum of the crowd to an early lead in the first set, but fell 7-5, 6-4 in a heroic effort.
"We went around to each player and told them today is going to be all about your will power and it's going to come down to heart and that's exactly what happened. Tara left it all out there, so we can't really hang out heads on that one."
The 4-3 loss ends Memphis' (3-17) season. The team will continue to host the conference championship tournament at MUS, Friday, with the women's semifinals set to play at 3 p.m. No. 1 seeded Tulsa will face Houston, who upset No. 4 seeded UCF, 4-0, while number two seeded USF will face SMU in the other semifinal.
SMU 4, Memphis 3
Doubles
No. 1 – Hanna Sohn/Janina Berres (Memphis) def. #82 Vaszilisza Bulgakova/Hristina Dishkova, 6-3
No. 2 – Dasha Sharapova/Mary Wright def. Gabrielle Paul/Kathryn Hughes (Memphis), 6-3
No. 3 – Ana Perez-Lopez/Macie Elliott def. Marta Morga/Tara McElroy (Memphis), 6-1
Singles
No. 1 – Hristina Dishkova def. Hanna Sohn (Memphis), 6-2, 6-2
No. 2 – Vaszilisza Bulgakova def. Kathryn Hughes (Memphis), 6-4, 6-1
No. 3 – Marta Morga (Memphis) def. Dasha Sharapova, 6-3, 7-5
No. 4 – Janina Berres (Memphis) def. Ana Perez-Lopez, 6-1, 6-3
No. 5 – Gabrielle Paul (Memphis) def. Mary Wright, 7-5, 6-3
No. 6 – Macie Elliott def. Tara McElroy (Memphis), 7-5, 6-4 *
*clinched match
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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