Ole Miss Women's Tennis Defeats Louisville 4-2

OXFORD, Miss. The Ole Miss women’s tennis team lost the doubles point, but rallied to beat Louisville 4-2 here Sunday afternoon at the Gillom Sports Center to improve to 4-2 on the season.  Louisville fell to 4-3.

Ole Miss won at No. 1 doubles, as Nika Koukhartchouk and Karen Nijssen defeated Louisville’s Lindsay Jones and Lauren Imre 8-5.  But the Cardinals claimed 8-6 wins on the other two courts to secure the opening point.  Koukhartchouk and Nijssen improved to 5-1 on the year.

The Lady Rebels got on the board when freshman Laura van de Stroet finished off a dominating performance against Bianca Gorbea at No. 3 singles, winning 6-1, 6-1.  Last week’s SEC Player of the Week, senior Nika Koukhartchouk defeated U of L’s Lauren Imre, 7-5, 6-1 at No. 1 singles to give the Lady Rebels a 2-1 lead.

Freshman Karen Nijssen dropped her first set of the season, but it didn’t faze her, as she held off Lindsey Jones 6-0, 4-6, 6-2 to increase the lead to 3-1.  Nijssen improved to 6-0 at No. 2 singles this year.

It took a little longer to get the final point. Sophomore Soledad Podlipnik was up a set and 4-2 in the second set in her match at No. 4 singles. Louisville’s Robyn White got back in it and eventually won to make it 3-2.

When that happened, the Lady Rebels were already up a set in the remaining two matches.  Moments after freshman Yana Kireeva split sets at No. 6 singles, senior Preethi Subramanian finished off Natalia Baez at No. 5, 6-4, 6-3, to clinch the victory.

“Any time you get a win you have to be excited,” head coach Mark Beyers said.  “They posted a 5-2 over Alabama and only lost to Kentucky 4-3.  I am proud of the team, to lose the doubles point and then come back and win four singles.”

The Lady Rebels will hit the road Feb. 17 for a match against Iowa, before returning home Feb. 22 to host South Alabama.

Ole Miss 4

Louisville 2

 

DOUBLES

1. Nijssen/Koukhartchouk (OM) def. Jones/Imre (U of L) 8-5

2. Gorbea/Baez (U of L) def. van de Stroet/Renaudin (OM) 8-6

3. White/Van Aerde (U of L) def. Podlipnik/Subrmanian (OM) 8-6

Order of Finish: 1, 3, 2

SINGLES

1. Nika Koukhartchouk (OM) def. Lauren Imre (U of L) 7-5, 6-1

2. Karen Nijssen (OM) def. Lindsey Jones (U of L) 6-0, 4-6, 6-2

3. Laura van de Stroet (OM) def. Bianca Gorbea (U of L) 6-1, 6-1

4. Robyn White (U of L) def. Soledad Podlipnik (OM) 3-6, 6-4, 6-1

5. Preethi Subramanian (OM) def. Natalia Baez (U of L) 6-4, 6-3

6. Yana Kireeva (OM) vs. Jo-Ann Van Aerde (U of L) 6-4, 3-6, 0-1, sus.

Order of Finish: 3, 1, 2, 4, 5

The University of Mississippi Athletics

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