March 23, 2005

AUSTIN, Texas -­ The No. 19 University of Tennessee Lady Vol tennis team (10-4) looked to win its first contest with host Texas in 11 meetings on Wednesday night, but dropped a 5-2 decision to the ninth-ranked Longhorns (10-4). The Big Orange won two-of-three doubles matches to earn the doubles point and freshman Ghizela Schutte (Ninapark, South Africa / Damelin College) earned a win at No. 6 singles for the other Lady Vol tally.

The Lady Vols claimed the doubles point when the No. 1 team of junior Sabita Maharaj (Gainesville, Fla. / Buchholz H.S.) and freshman Bryce Marable (Darien, Ill. / Hinsdale South H.S.) earned an 8-6 victory over 18th-ranked Katie Ruckert and Kendra Strohm. The win over a ranked doubles team was the second for the Lady Vols in 2004-05 and the first in dual-match play. On Sept. 19, 2004, Maharaj and senior Ashley Robards (Henderson, Ky. / Henderson County H.S.) topped No. 48 Karin Coetzee and Ashlee Davis, 8-4.

The first doubles contest to be completed was the No. 2 match as Texas' Petra Dizdar and Mia Marovic defeated UT's pair of junior Melissa Schaub (Lexington, Ohio / Lexington H.S.) and Schutte by an 8-3 count.

In the No. 3 contest, freshman Daron Moore (North Hollywood, Calif. / Campbell Hall School), playing the first dual match of her career, singles or doubles, teamed with Robards to defeat the Longhorn duo of Kelly Baritot and Ristine Olson, 8-3.

Texas tied the contest, 1-1, when the No. 5 singles match saw Courtney Zauft top Robards, 6-2, 6-0, dropping the senior to 6-2 on the season.

The Lady Vols took the lead back, 2-1, as Schutte earned her victory at No. 6 by 6-3, 6-2 tallies over Olson. The win was her fifth consecutive after losing her first three dual-match singles contests. Overall in 2004-05, the freshman is 8-4.

With a 6-2, 6-1 victory at No. 1 for Texas' 95th-ranked Dizdar over No. 42 Maharaj, the Longhorns tied the contest, 2-2. The loss for the Lady Vol junior ended an impressive six-match winning streak.

Marovic gave Texas a 3-2 advantage with a 6-3, 7-5 win at No. 3 over Marable, who had won eight-of-nine matches entering tonight.

The Longhorns then clinched the team victory with a comeback win at No. 4 as Ruckert topped Lady Vol sophomore Victoria Jones (Tyne & Wear, U.K. / South Tyneside College), who had won 11-of-12 matches, 6-1, 1-6, 6-1.

Griffith fell in the final match to be completed at No. 3, falling to Strohm, 4-6, 6-0, 6-3.

The Lady Vols have won 10-of-12 matches and return to Southeastern Conference play this weekend with two road contests, playing No. 46 Ole Miss at 4 p.m. CST on Friday before taking on No. 34 Mississippi State at 1 p.m. CST on Sunday.

#9 Texas 5, #19 Tennessee 2
Singles (Order of finish: 5, 6, 1, 3, 4*, 2)
1. Petra Dizdar (Texas) def. Sabita Maharaj (Tenn)	6-2, 6-1
2. Kendra Strohm (Texas) def. Blakeley Griffith (Tenn)	4-6, 6-0, 6-3
3. Mia Marovic (Texas) def. Bryce Marable (Tenn)	6-3, 7-5
4. Katie Ruckert (Texas) def. Vicky Jones (Tenn)	6-1, 1-6, 6-1
5. Courtney Zauft (Texas) def. Ashley Robards (Tenn)	6-2, 6-0
6. Ghizela Schutte (Tenn) def. Ristine Olson (Texas)	6-3, 6-2
Doubles (Order of finish: 2, 3, 1*)
1. Maharaj/Marable (Tenn) def. Ruckert/Strohm (Texas)	8-6
2. Dizdar/Marovic (Texas) def. Melissa Schaub/Schutte (Tenn)	8-3
3. Daron Moore/Robards (Tenn) def. Kelly Baritot/Olson (Texas)	8-3