SSAC News
Sat, May 22, 2010 - [Women's Tennis]
News Photo
MOBILE, Ala. - The Lady Senators of Auburn Montgomery fell to Fresno Pacific University (Calif.) 5-2 in the finals of the 2010 NAIA Women's Tennis National Championship, ending the Lady Senators consecutive national title run of six consecutive. It was the fifth consecutive season the same two teams have met in the finals, with AUM winning the previous four times.


Fresno Pacific swept all three doubles matches of the morning. Sara Celma and Cristina Vallederes captured two doubles, 8-6, and Erika Januskova and Yulia Blinovskaya claimed three doubles, 9-7. The Sunbirds Katia Sabate and Vanessa Heroux swung all of the momentum in FPU's favor with a 9-8 (7) win in one doubles and 3-0 point lead.

Auburn Montgomery rallied back with two victories to start singles play. Whitney Byrd and Kveta Hajkova won four singles and six singles, respectively, but FPU's early lead proved to be too much. Sara Celma won two singles for Fresno Pacific, 6-2, 6-4 to put the Sunbirds a point away from the title. Cristina Vallederes clinched the match for FPU with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Morgane Zowczak in three singles.

The finals appearance marks the 12 consecutive time the Lady Senators have appeared in the finals.  The runner-up finish was AUM's eighth overall to go with their 10 national titles.

RESULTS:
Singles:
No. 1 - Katia Sabate (FPU) vs. Ana Veselinovic (AUM), 7-6 (6), 0-2 DNF
No. 2 - Sara Celma (FPU) def. Parija Maloo (AUM), 6-2, 6-4
No. 3 - Cristina Vallederes (FPU) def. Morgane Zowczak (AUM), 6-4, 6-3
No. 4 - Whitney Byrd (AUM) def. Vanessa Heroux (FPU), 6-2, 6-3
No. 5 - Erika Januskova (FPU) vs. Nathalie Sienkob (AUM), 5-7, 2-4 DNF
No. 6 - Kveta Hajkova (AUM) def. Yulia Blinovskaya (FPU), 6-2, 6-1

Doubles:
No. 1 - Katia Sabate / Vanessa Heroux (FPU) def. Ana Veselinovic / Morgane Zowczak (AUM), 9-8 (7)
No. 2 - Sara Celma / Cristina Vallederes (FPU) def. Nathalie Sienkob / Kveta Hajkova (AUM), 8-6
No. 3 - Erika Januskova / Yulia Blinovskaya (FPU) def. Whitney Byrd / Parija Maloo (AUM), 9-7

-AUM-