May 16, 2008

Championship Results

MOBILE, Ala--The Auburn-Montgomery Lady Senators captured the 2008 NAIA Women's Tennis National Championship by defeating Fresno Pacific 5-1 Friday.

 

The win marks Auburn-Montgomery's fifth straight championship, including three in a row over Fresno Pacific, and ninth overall.

 

Exciting doubles play started the morning off, with the Lady Senators taking two-of-three matches for the early lead, but that was in doubt until late. The Lady Senators and Sunbirds split No. 2 and No. 3 doubles for a 1-1 tie and the No. 1 doubles match between AUM's Delia Sescioreanu-Delea/Tereza Veverkova and Fresno Pacific's Anna Karavayeva/Maria Klokotzky was locked in a 5-5 tie as both teams tried to gain the early edge. The Lady Senators duo reeled off three straight games to pull out the victory.

 

While the Lady Senators swept three singles matches for the overall victory, that was not a sure thing. Veverkova polished off a 6-3, 6-3 win in No. 3 singles to put AUM up 3-1 and then the back-breaking win came when AUM"s No. 2 Kamila Dadakhodjaeva came through with an impressive rally.

The senior from Uzbekistan dropped the first set 6-0 to Anna Karavayeva, but rallied to take the final two sets by identical scores of 6-3. Within minutes of the completion of the No. 2 match, Dominika Zuzulova picked up a 6-3, 6-3 win at No. 5 singles to capture the title.

The Lady Senators finish the season undefeated and their nine titles are four more than the next closest school, Flagler (FL).