#75 Syracuse Loses To Buffalo In Luke Jensen's Home Debut

Friday, February 9

Syracuse, N.Y.

5:00 p.m.

Syracuse University

Buffalo

Luke Jensen has the Orange ranked for the first time since 2001

#75 Syracuse Loses To Buffalo In Luke Jensen's Home Debut

2/9/2007 8:56:45 PM | Tennis

Box Score

Syracuse, N.Y.- #75 Syracuse (2-3) built an early lead on Buffalo (2-0), but was unable to hold on, losing to the Bulls, 4-3. Syracuse won the doubles point and the first two singles matches, but Buffalo stormed back to win the final four singles matches and take the dual match victory. Senior Ashley Lipton took moved into eighth place on Syracuse’s all-time wins list with her doubles victory.

“This was great. We had the women’s crew and so many administrators here tonight,” Syracuse head coach Luke Jensen said. Jensen was making his home debut as the Orange’s head coach and that brought out quite a few fans. “We showed that Syracuse tennis is big time. The players we have on this team are big time and the players we are bringing in are big time. Syracuse tennis is here to stay.”

The Orange started out strong, taking the doubles point with wins in the final two matches, just as it did in its home opener against Yale. After losing at No. 2, junior Olga Votavova and sophomore Maria Vasilyeva evened the score with a win at No. 1, 8-4. The deciding match in doubles came down the seniors Carolina Huignard and Ashley Lipton at No. 3. The duo came up big once again, winning, 8-6, to give the Orange an early lead in the match. The victory moved Lipton into a tie for eighth place with Kathy Bradford on the school’s all-time wins list with 136.

Syracuse kept that momentum going by taking the first two singles matches. Junior Catherine Zawadzki won at No. 3, 6-2, 6-1, and Vasilyeva won at No. 2, 6-3, 6-2. The Orange had a commanding 3-0 lead in the match, but Buffalo came back to win the last four singles matches and secure the victory. All six singles matches were decided in straight-sets. Freshman Chelsea Jones had a hard-fought loss at No. 6 that decided the match. She trailed early in the first set and battled back to take a 5-4 lead before losing, 7-5. She dropped the second set, 6-1.

“We had the momentum after doubles,” Jensen said. “Then Catherine and Maria steamrolled to wins in their matches. Buffalo never gave up and fought hard for the win, though.”

The Orange faces Penn State on Friday, February 16 at 5 p.m.