The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
Alabama
Women's Tennis Loses Tough Match To Alabama
3/16/2003 | Women's Tennis
March 16, 2003
OXFORD, Miss. - The 41st-ranked Ole Miss women's tennis team lost a tough 5-2 match to 31st-ranked Alabama Sunday afternoon at the Palmer/Salloum Tennis Center. The Lady Rebels fell to 4-10 overall and 1-5 in the SEC, while Alabama improved to 12-3 and 4-2 in the SEC.
After Ole Miss swept the Tide last year, winning 4-3 in Tuscaloosa and 4-0 in the SEC Tournament, Alabama had revenge on their minds. Ole Miss came in having won 22 of the last 24 meetings between the two.
Alabama rallied on court two in doubles to take the opening point in the match. Ole Miss won at No. 1 doubles 8-3 and lost at the No. 3 spot 8-4. Karem Harboe and Florencia Basile appeared on their way to a victory in the early going against UA's Sophie Cremers and Ashley Bentley at No. 2 doubles, but the Tide pair came back and won the match 8-6 to clinch the point.
In singles, senior Mira Radu evened the overall score when her opponent Millie Begovic retired down 6-1, 2-1 in the match. With the win, Radu captured her 99th career singles victory and will have the opportunity to become the fourth Lady Rebel to record 100 wins in her career.
The Crimson Tide went up 2-1 lead when Cremers defeated Basile 6-4, 6-2 at No. 2 singles. Cremers came into the match undefeated and is now 15-0 in dual matches. Alabama built a 3-1 advantage after Nathalie Koppelle finished off Ole Miss' Audra Adams 6-4, 7-6(0) at No. 6 singles.
The remaining three courts were locked in three-set affairs. Sabrina Peppl won the first set against UA's Bentley on court five, but she dropped the second 6-4. Bentley led the deciding set 5-4, but Peppl had a couple break points to remain in the match. Bentley held her off to win 6-4 and clinch the victory for the Tide.
Harboe defeated UA's Robin Stephenson 7-6(2), 4-6, 6-3 at No. 3 singles for the Lady Rebels only other point on the day.
The Lady Rebels split their weekend matches, coming back to beat 39th-ranked Auburn 4-3 on Friday. Ole Miss will step out of conference play this Saturday to host Baylor University at Noon.
#31 Alabama 5
#41 Ole Miss 2
SINGLES
#1 Mira Radu (OM) def. Millie Begovic (UA) 6-1, 2-1, ret.
#2 Sophie Cremers (UA) def. Florencia Basile (OM) 6-4, 6-2
#3 Karem Harboe (OM) def. Robin Stephenson (UA) 7-6(2), 4-6, 6-3
#4 Marie Lord-Andrade (UA) def. Virginia Tomatis (UA) 6-3, 3-6, 6-4
#5 Ashley Bentley (UA) def. Sabrina Peppl (OM) 3-6, 6-4, 6-4
#6 Nathalie Koppelle (UA) def. Audra Adams (OM) 6-4, 7-6(0)
DOUBLES
#1 Radu-Tomatis (OM) def. Begovic-Stephenson (UA) 8-3
#2 Cremers-Bentley (UA) def. Harboe-Basile (OM) 8-6
#3 Andrade-Koppelle (UA) def. Adams-Peppl (OM) 8-4
