Huskers Fall in NCAA Tournament

Athens, Ga. --- The No. 38 Nebraska women's tennis team made a valiant effort but came up short as it dropped its first match at the NCAA Championships Friday with 4-0 setback against No. 22 South Carolina at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex. Nebraska, which was one win shy of tying the school record for single-season victories, was competing in its first-ever postseason match, while USC was making its 11th consecutive appearance in the tournament.

"This was an awesome experience for our players," Coach Scott Jacobson said. "I was most proud of the way we competed. The kids were just fearless and battled back all the way through the match. The second doubles point really was the difference, but we kept fighting. South Carolina was just a little stronger in the end, but we played with passion and I was pleased with the effort."

South Carolina jumped out to a quick start by taking the doubles point. The Gamecock duo of Fallon Koon and Laura Ganzer earned a convincing 8-1 win at the No. 3 slot over Nebraska's Milena Schulz-Gartner and Pamela Castillejos while USC's Danielle Wiggins and Miranda Gutierrez clinched the point with an 8-6 victory over Gitte Ostermann and Katie Garcia.

Gutierrez came back with another dominating performance as she secured the first singles point for the Gamecocks with a 6-2, 6-1, victory over NU's Ewelina Skaza at the No. 4 position. It was the first time Skaza had lost this season at the No. 4 slot after winning her first 12 consecutive matches at the position.

USC picked up another point with Megan McGavock's 6-3, 6-3, win over Garcia at the No. 6 slot. Garcia, a three-year captain from Lincoln, was playing in the final match of her collegiate career and finished the year with a 12-8 record, including a 9-4 mark at No. 6 singles.

Ganzer iced the victory with a 6-4, 6-3, straight-set victory over Schulz-Gartner at the No. 3 position. Nebraska won the first set of the other three singles matches that were not finished.

The Gamecocks, who improved to 15-8 on the season, advanced to face eighth-seeded host Georgia (16-7) on Saturday at 3 p.m. The Huskers fell to 18-4 overall while completing the team portion of their schedule.

Ostermann will continue play on May 23 when she enters the NCAA Singles Tournament for the second consecutive season. Osteramann, who was one of four automatic qualifiers from the Central Region and one of 64 players nationally selected to play in the singles championship, is the first Husker in program history to make more than one appearance at the NCAA Singles Tournament. Ostermann is ranked No. 43 nationally this week while sporting a 17-3 singles record this season.

 

No. 22 South Carolina 4, No. 38 Nebraska 0
Dan Magill Tennis Complex -- Athens, Ga. -- May 13, 2005

Singles
No. 1 No. 43 Gitte Ostermann (NU) vs. Danielle Wiggins (USC), DNF
No. 2 Imke Reimers (NU) vs. No. 101 Christyn Lucas (USC), DNF
No. 3 Laura Ganzer (USC) def. Milena Schulz-Gartner (NU), 6-4, 6-3
No. 4 Miranda Gutierrez (USC) def. Ewelina Skaza (NU), 6-2, 6-1
No. 5 Pamela Castillejos (NU) vs. Magda Wojdylo (USC), DNF
No. 6 Megan McGavock (USC) def. Katie Garcia (NU), 6-3, 6-3
Order of finish: 4, 3, 6

Doubles
No. 1 Danielle Wiggins/Miranda Gutierrez (USC) def. Gitte Ostermann/Katie Garcia (NU), 8-6
No. 2 Imke Reimers/Ewalina Skaza (NU) vs. Christyn Lucas/Magda Wojdylo (USC), DNF
No. 3 Fallon Koon/Laura Ganzer (USC) def. Milena Schulz-Gartner/Pamela Castillejos (NU), 8-1
Order of finish: 3, 1