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The Horned Frogs Survive 4-3 Thriller - TCU Athletics
Fort Worth: The TCU Horned Frogs survived a 4-3 thriller versus Ole Miss on Sunday afternoon at the Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center led by a freshman.
GoFrogs: The Horned Frogs Survive 4-3 Thriller
Fort Worth: The TCU Horned Frogs survived a 4-3 thriller versus Ole Miss on Sunday afternoon at the Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center led by a freshman.
The match weighed in the balance at a 3-3 standstill with one court remaining. Freshman Yu-Chin Tsai took advantage on court No. 6 and broke the tie in favor of the Horned Frogs (4-0).
The momentum of the match went back and forth with both teams looking to grab ahold of the match.
The doubles point proved to be crucial in the outcome. On court No. 1, Mercedes Aristegui and Jade Otway brought down Ole Miss' Annabelle Leclercq and Ludmila Kareisova in a 6-3 fashion. Destinee Martins and Tiphanie Lemaitre struggled to find a rhythm in dual play as they dropped the match on court No. 2, 6-1.
The Frogs hopes for an early lead relied on Tsai and her partner Helena Narmont on court No. 3. The duo managed to take control late into the match winning 6-4 and more importantly an early 1-0 for the team.
In singles play, Martins took care of business against the Ole Miss' Kelsey Mize (6-1, 6-4). TCU seemed to be running away with the match holding a 2-0 lead, suddenly the Rebels stormed back.
Ole Miss did not go down quietly winning three straight singles matches. Narmont fell to Emma Kette in a 6-4, 6-1 decision. On court three after winning the first set, Otway dropped the next two to even the team score at two (3-6, 6-3, 6-3). On court No. 1, Lemaitre found herself in a battle against her former team. Anaelle Leclercq bested the transfer 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.
Down 3-2, The Frogs turned to their most and least experienced players to mount a comeback. Aristegui, against ITA's No. 89 singles player Lillian Gabrielsen, closed out her first set in tiebreak fashion. At six games apiece TCU's captain rallied for a 7-3 win, taking the set. The second set remained close, but the Spaniard tied the match at 3-3 with a 7-6, 7-5 win.
All eyes turned to the freshman from Taiwan. Tsai displayed her poise against Reka Zadori of Ole Miss, comfortably defeating Zadori on court No. 6 (6-1, 6-4). Tsai and her teammates celebrated the win together as the Frogs remain unbeaten.
Head Coach Lee Taylor Walker following the match:
"Big weekend for our team. They've really bonded and connected with each other this year and deserved a weekend like this. They've put in the work and taken the necessary steps to build belief in themselves and one another. Our captain Mercedes leads us with great passion and enthusiasm, and our team feeds off this. Beyond the results- I'm most proud of the way the girls are carrying themselves- with confidence, fighting spirit, and a positive attitude no matter what challenges come their way. It's early in the season and we are just getting started, but we know this was not a fluke weekend, and that these type of results are going to continue if we stay committed to our core values. The team is ready for a super-bloom season."
Doubles Scores:
1. Mercedes Aristegui/Jade Otway (TCU) def. Anaelle Leclercq/Ludmila Kareisova (OM) 6-3
2. Kelsey Mize/Lillian Gabrielsen (OM) def. Tiphanie Lemaitre/Destinee Martins (TCU) 6-1
3. Yu-Chin Tsai/Helena Narmont (TCU) def. Emma Kette/Reka Zadori (OM) 6-4
Singles Scores:
1. Anaelle Leclercq (OM) def. Tiphanie Lemaitre (TCU) 6-4, 3-6, 6-3
2. Mercedes Aristegui (TCU) def. #73 Ludmila Kareisova (OM) 7-6 (7-3), 7-5
3. #89 Lillian Gabrielsen (OM) def. Jade Otway (TCU) 3-6, 6-3, 6-3
4. Destinee Martins (TCU) def. Kelsey Mize (OM) 6-1, 6-4
5. Emma Kette (OM) def. Helena Narmont (TCU) 6-4, 6-1
6. Yu-Chin Tsai (TCU) def. Reka Zadori (OM) 6-1, 6-4
Up Next: The Frogs are back at home against San Francisco and Abilene Christian Feb. 11 and Feb. 12 at the Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center.
