Marshall University Athletics
Herd Tennis Cruises by Middle Tennessee State, 7-0
Return of All-American Kroh Bolsters Lineup
2/25/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Herd Tennis Cruises by Middle Tennessee State, 7-0
Return of All-American Kroh Bolsters Lineup
2/25/2005
Senior Ashley Kroh returned from her ankle injury and put on an impressive display in her first singles match in three weeks. Photo by Matt Riley |
BARBOURSVILLE, W.Va. ? A full powered Thundering Herd tennis team rolled to a 7-0 win over the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders Friday night at the Huntington Tennis Club.
The Herd improved to 5-4 on the season, and Middle Tennessee dropped to 3-5 on the year.
?Today we did a really good job,? Marshall head coach John Mercer said. ?To win 7-0 is really solid against a good team like Middle Tennessee that?s played well against a lot of tough opponents. We?re really excited to win in such a fashion.?
Marshall played with its full lineup intact for the first time in four matches after being without senior Joelle Good (Zurich, Switzerland) for one match and Ashley Kroh (Louisville, Ky.) for three matches, both due to medical reasons. The Herd enjoyed being at full strength and it showed as the squad went on to the win over the always tough Blue Raiders.
?It was nice to have Ashley back and be at full strength in our lineup,? Mercer said. ?I thought she played really well and it helped lift our team.?
The No. 63 ranked Thundering Herd jumped out and took the doubles point with wins at No. 2 and 3. Kroh looked like she was ready to be back on the court as she and partner Shannon Brown (Overland Park, Kan.) cruised to an 8-0 win on court two. Lille Nzudie (Douala, Cameroon) and Alizee Paradis (Quebec City, Can.) picked up an 8-3 win at No. 3 over Jacqui Williams and Claudia Szabo to secure the doubles point.
At No. 1 doubles, Good and partner Danielle Hock (Wigan, England) dropped the Herd?s only match on the night, when the No. 46 ranked tandem lost to the No. 45 ranked duo of Jennifer Klaschka and Ann-Kristin Siljestrom, 8-6.
In singles play, the Herd clinched the win early with freshman Jeanne Schwartz (West Palm Beach, Fla.) rolling to a 6-0, 6-0 win over Williams at No. 5, then Good rebounded from her doubles loss to get a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Szabo. Kroh showed little effects from the ankle injury and from not playing a singles match in three weeks as she picked up the fourth and deciding point with a 6-1, 7-6 win at No. 4 over Siljestrom.
Paradis won 6-3, 6-0 over Emily Vest at No. 6, Nzudie triumphed 6-4, 7-6 at No. 1 over Klaschka and Hock finished off the 7-0 evening with a 6-0, 4-6, 7-5 win at No. 3.
The Herd plays its final non-conference home match of the season Sunday against Penn State at 10 a.m. It?s the last chance to see the Herd in action at home until April 8 when the Miami RedHawks come to town. Penn State is 3-2 on the season and will take on Middle Tennessee at noon Saturday at the Huntington Tennis Club.
?Penn State will be a good region match,? Mercer said. ?It will be key for us because they?re always in the top 15 of the region. We?re excited to be hosting a Big Ten opponent and hope a lot of our fans will come out and support us in our last match at home for over a month.?
SINGLES
#1 - Lille Nzudie def. Jennifer Klaschka 7-5, 7-6
#2 - Joelle Good def. Claudia Szabo Marshall University 6-1, 6-2
#3 - Danielle Hock def. Ana Cibils 0-6, 6-4, 7-5
#4 - Ashley Kroh def. Ann-Kristin Siljestrom 6-1, 7-6
#5 - Jeanne Schwartz def. Jacqui Williams 6-0, 6-1
#6 - Ali Paradis def. Emily Vest 6-3, 6-0
DOUBLES
#1 - No.45 Jennifer Klaschka/Ann-Kristin Siljestrom def. No. 46 Joelle Good/Danielle Hock, 8-6
#2 - Ashley Kroh/Shannon Brown def. Emily Vest
/Ana Cibils 8-0
#3 - Lille Nzudie/Ali Paradis def. Jacqui Williams/Claudia Szabo 8-3
