May 13, 2000
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C - Freshman Katja Karrento won a grueling three-set match at No. 3 singles then teamed with senior Lisa Papi for a match-clinching win at No. 2 doubles as the No. 29 San Diego State women's tennis team overcame 90-degree heat to defeat No. 30 South Florida, 5-4, in the opening round of the NCAA Women's Tennis Tournament Saturday at Wake Forest University.
The victory lifted SDSU (16-9) into the second round for the third time in the last four years and also snapped a four-match South Florida's (17-8) winning streak. The Aztecs will face No. 3 Wake Forest, a 5-0 winner over Virginia Tech, in Sunday's regional final at 1:00 p.m. (EDT). Sunday's winner advances to the round of 16 next week in Malibu, Calif.
"This was just a great win and a great college tennis match," said SDSU head coach Peter Mattera following the grueling five-hour battle. "That's as close as you can get in college tennis and we were fortunate to come out on top. Both teams (in the deciding doubles match) had match points."
Trailing the dual match 3-2, Karrento brought the Aztecs back level with the Conference USA champs and sent the contest into doubles knotted at three with a hard-fought 2-6, 7-6(4), 6-4 victory at No. 3 singles over USF's Tina Harrison. The freshman from Mariehamn, Finland, then teamed with Papi at No. 2 to post a thrilling 9-8(9) come-from-behind win over the Bull tandem of Genevieve Houle and Jackie Spicijaric at No. 2 doubles to send SDSU into the second round.
"Katja (Karrento) really gave us a spark heading into doubles with her singles win," Mattera said. "That was a crucial point for us."
Freshman Lindsay Hedberg also picked up two points for the Aztecs, recording her seventh straight singles win with a 7-6(5), 6-2 victory over Natalie Schwartz at No. 4 before combining with sophomore Julie Chidley for an 8-2 win over Schwartz and Ildiko Zubor in doubles. Sophomore Katey Becker posted her fifth consecutive singles win at No. 5 with a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Spicijaric for SDSU's other point on the day.
NCAA WOMEN'S TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS
May 13, 2000
First Round
Wake Forest's Upper Eight Courts
Winston-Salem, N.C.
No. 29 San Diego State 5, No. 30 South Florida 4
Singles
No. 1 Katherine Tessier (USF) def. Whitney Wells (SDSU) 6-4, 6-1
No. 2. Genevieve Houle (USF) def. Laura Aguero (SDSU) 4-6, 6-2, 6-1
No. 3 Katja Karrento (SDSU) def. Tina Harrison (USF) 2-6,7-6,6-4
No. 4 Lindsey Hedberg (SDSU) def. Natalie Schwartz (USF) 7-6 (5), 6-2
No. 5 Katey Becker (SDSU) def. Jackie Spicijaric (USF) 6-3, 6-1
No. 6 Ildiko Zubor (USF) def. Julie Chidley (SDSU) 6-2, 6-0
Doubles
No. 1 Tessier/Harrison (SF) def. Wells/Aguero (SDSU) 8-6
No. 2 Lisa Papi/Karrento (SDSU) def. Houle/Spicijaric (USF) 9-8 (9)
No. 3 Chidley/Hedberg (SDSU) def. Schwartz/Zubor (USF) 8-2
Records: San Diego State, 16-9, South Florida, 17-8.