If the No. 36 Arizona women’s tennis team was looking for a confidence boost in yesterday’s match against Cornell, they got it.
The Wildcats (8-7, 2-4 Pacific 10 Conference) took the doubles point, 2-1, and then won five of the six singles matches to win the overall match 6-1 against the Big Red (6-2).
But the victory was not easy, as the weather was not being cooperative. The match was postponed several times as on-again, off-again rain covered the courts and made the surface too slick for play. Even when the rain finally quit, the players were still left to deal with a stiff breeze.
Sophomore Danielle Steinberg called the weather “”very annoying.””
“”We knew coming in that we were going to stop, it was pretty obvious,”” she said. “”So, we came ready for it.””
Arizona didn’t appear to let the conditions affect them as they breezed through their matches, winning all but one of them in straight sets.
One highlight for the Wildcats was the return of senior Jessie Rochefort to the lineup. Rochefort had not played a match all year due to an ankle injury she sustained just three days into the season. It wasn’t until just five days ago that she began practicing again. Rochefort made her season debut at the No. 3 doubles spot along with junior Juliette Mavroleon.
“”I was a little nervous at first, but when I started going, I felt more comfortable,””
Rochefort said. “”I did well though, for not playing (since last season).””
She added that she expects to remain in the lineup as a doubles player at least for the next few matches, which is good news for the Wildcats as they can use all the experience they can get tomorrow when they host No. 22 ASU at 1 p.m. at the Robson Tennis Center. Arizona was swept by the Sun Devils last year and has not beaten ASU since the 2004 season.
But this season, road wins have been hard to come by for ASU, as it is just 1-4 away from home.
After picking up a much needed win yesterday, the Wildcats are going into tomorrow’s match with the confidence and the home court advantage.
“”We performed pretty well (against Cornell),”” Steinberg said. “”It is good for our confidence going into ASU. That is a big match for us. I’m really pumped for ASU.””
