Herd Tops No. 74 South Alabama

Feb. 25, 2007

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BARBOURSVILLE, W.Va. - Marshall's Kellie Schmitt needed three sets to defeat South Alabama's Adrianna Solarova and help the Thundering Herd clinch the 5-2 victory Sunday at the Huntington Tennis Club.

The No. 28-ranked Schmitt competed in a ferocious battle with the 37th-ranked Solarova. Each team's top singles player took turns dishing out point after remarkable point with Schmitt finally topping her opponent, 7-6 (7-5), 3-6, 7-6 (7-4).

"It doesn't really get too much closer than that," Marshall head coach John Mercer said. "They (South Alabama) are going to beat some people. They were very competitive and feisty opponent."

In doubles Marshall (9-4) claimed one point quickly out of the gate as 27th-ranked Schmitt and Lynzee Kever defeated Solarova and Sylvanie Spangenberg, 8-3, at the top of the lineup and Thaddea Lock and Karolina Soor won, 8-2, over the Jaguars' (4-5) Rita Freitas and Jelena Krivacevic at the second spot.

However, singles play would feature the most exciting play of the day. The Schmitt\Solarova match was one of four singles matches that went three sets and each match had at least one tiebreaker.

"They are a very talented group and they came out with a lot of intensity and I thought we did a good job matching that," Mercer said.

The first single victory of the day came as Freitas retired after being down 2-1 to Kashelkina in the first set. Playing at the No. 2 position in singles Soor battled back from being down in the first set to claim the 3-6, 7-6 (6), 6-3 victory.

Thaddea Lock took the fifth point for the Herd in the day's final match defeating Dijana Stanic, 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (8).

"They are a good team and I have no doubt that they will pick up their share of ranked wins the rest of the season," Mercer said. "I am really proud with the way we played today. We played well at all nine positions from top to bottom."

Marshall's next match will be Wednesday, Feb. 28, when it travels to South Carolina to take on the No. 34 Gamecocks.

#57 Marshall 5, #74 University of South Alabama 22/25/2007 at Barboursville, W.Va.
Singles competition1. #28 Kellie Schmitt (MAR) def. #37 Adrianna Solarova (USAW) 7-6 (7-5), 3-6, 7-6 (7-4)2. Karolina Soor (MAR) def. Michaela Babicova (USAW) 3-6, 7-6 (8-6), 6-33. Yulia Kashelkina (MAR) def. Rita Freitas (USAW) 2-1, retired4. Jelena Krivacevic (USAW) def. Lynzee Kever (MAR) 6-2, 6-45. Thaddea Lock (MAR) def. Dijana Stanic (USAW) 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (10-8)6. Sylvanie Spanenberg (USAW) def. Jeanne Schwartz (MAR) 6-3, 6-7 (5-7), 7-5
Doubles competition1. #27 Kellie Schmitt/Lynzee Kever (MAR) def. Adrianna Solarova/Sylvanie Spanenberg (USAW) 8-32. Karolina Soor/Thaddea Lock (MAR) def. Rita Freitas/Jelena Krivacevic (USAW) 8-23. Michaela Babicova/Dijana Stanic (USAW) def. Yulia Kashelkina/Jessica Keener (MAR) 8-6
Match NotesUniversity of South Alabama 4-5; National ranking #74Marshall 9-4; National ranking #57Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (3,4,6,2,1,5)Official: Debbie Slone A-61

Marshall University Athletics

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Yulia Kashelkina

Jessica Keener

Lynzee Kever

Lynzee Kever

Thaddea Lock

Kellie Schmitt

Kellie Schmitt

Jeanne Schwartz

Karolina Soor

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