WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.- With their top five players returning from last season and the addition of a few top newcomers, the Palm Beach Atlantic University women’s tennis team got their 2009 slate off to a good start on Friday afternoon as they hosted Saint Leo University in a dual-match with the men’s teams. The Lady Fish came away with a 7-2 victory.
Now in his fourth season at the helm of the Sailfish tennis programs, the 2009 version of the Lady Fish may be the best team yet as the Fish only dropped two games on the day with #3-doubles and #1-singles going the way of the Lions.
Olga Alekseeva, a transfer from the University of California-Pennsylvania and a PBA graduate student, played #2-singles for the Fish and came away with a solid 7-6 (3), 6-4 victory over Shaena Keefe while Lina Rubiano, Natalie Aleman, Krishna Domenech, and Katie Livesay all followed with victories as well.
SLU #1-singles player Lina Benkirane earned a top performance against the likes of PBA’s Montse Rippoll as the two battled in a long singles outing that saw Benkirane come out on top with a 3-6, 7-5, 11-9 victory.
Ripoll and Alekseeva and Ripoll teamed up for PBA at #1-Doubles and earned a 7-2 first set win before Benkirane and Tazi were forced to retire due to injury.
Rubiano and Aleman earned an 8-2 win while Domenech and Livesay teamed up for a similar 8-2 victory at #2 and #3 doubles respectively.
Now 1-0 to start the season, PBA will next take on Florida Tech as they travel to Melbourne, Florida on Saturday, February 7th for a 12 p.m. matchup.
PBA 7, Saint Leo 2
Doubles
#1- Ripoll/Alekseeva (PBA) defeated Benkirane/Tazi (SLU) 7-2, (Ret.)
#2- Rubiano/Aleman (PBA) defeated Keefe/Schifano (SLU) 8-2
#3- Domenech/Livesay (PBA) defeated McDonald/Cleaves (SLU) 8-2
Singles
#1- Benkirane (SLU) defeated Ripoll (PBA) 3-6, 7-5, 11-9
#2- Alekseeva (PBA) defeated Keefe (SLU) 7-6 (3), 6-4
#3- Rubiano (PBA) defeated Schifano (SLU) 6-0, 6-1
#4- Aleman (PBA) defeated Cleaves (SLU) 6-0, 6-1
#5- Domenech (PBA) defeated King (SLU) Def.
