Youngstown State University
Southern California
Record-Setting Campaign Ends With Loss to No. 1 USC
5/9/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Los Angeles, Calif. - The Youngstown State women's tennis team lost 4-0 to No. 1 seed and top-ranked USC on Saturday afternoon at Marks Stadium in the opening round of the NCAA Regionals.
The Penguins end the campaign with a 17-9 overall record and set a program record for most wins in a season and longest winning streak at 11. USC advances with its 12th straight win and improves to 22-2 on the year.
The Women of Troy took the doubles behind a pair of wins by nationally-ranked players.
USC won the first competed match 8-0 as 19th-ranked Giulianna Olmos and Zoe Scandalis beat the Penguins' Julianna Heino and Nehel Sahni. At No. 1, Marta Burak and Dominika Lackova teamed up to face No. 24 Zoe Katz and Sabrina Santamaria. The Penguins played tough but lost an 8-2 decision. At No. 3, Sofia Macias Mendoza and Annina Brendel were trailing 6-2 when the point was clinched.
In singles, USC played six players all ranked in top 79 nationally. Winning for USC was No. 14 Olmos at No. 2 over Lackova (6-0, 6-0), No. 78 Gabby Smith over Heino at No. 5 (6-1, 6-0) and 79th-ranked Meredith Xepoleas beat Macias at No. 6 (6-2, 6-0).
The Penguins hung tough at No. 1, No. 3 and No. 4. Having success early in their matches were Sahni and Brendel. Against No. 38 Scandalis, Brendel lost her opening set 6-3 and trailed 1-0 in the seocnd. Sahni, who played No. 57 Madison Westby at No. 4, jumped out to a quick lead only to lose the first set 6-4 and trailed 3-0 in the second.
Burak dropped her first set to No. 24 Santamaria 6-0, but in true fashion kept battling in the second set trailing 3-2 when the point was clinched. It was the final match in a distinguished career for the Penguin senior who set the school record for most career wins in her four years with the program.
It marked the second straight year the Penguins advanced to the NCAA Regionals.
#1 USC 4, Youngstown State 0
NCAA Championships – First Round
May 9, 2015 – Marks Stadium (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Doubles
(1) #24 Katz/Santamaria (USC) def. Burak/Lackova (YSU) – 8-2
(2) #19 Olmos/Scandalis (USC) def. Heino/Sahni (YSU) – 8-0
(3) Smith/Westby (USC) vs. Brendel/Macias (YSU) – 6-2 susp.
Singles
(1) #24 Sabrina Santamaria (USC) vs. Mara Burak (YSU) – 6-0, 3-2 susp.
(2) #14 Giuliana Olmos (USC) def. Dominika Lackova (YSU) – 6-0, 6-0
(3) #38 Zoë Scandalis (USC) vs. Annina Brendel (YSU) – 6-4, 1-0 susp.
(4) #57 Madison Westby (USC) vs. Nehel Sahni (YSU) – 6-4, 3-0 susp.
(5) #78 Gabby Smith (USC) def. Julianna Heino (YSU) – 6-1, 6-0
(6) #79 Meredith Xepoleas (USC) def. Sofia Macias (YSU) – 6-2, 6-0*
Order of Finish: 5, 2, 6
