Feb. 24, 2008

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ---- The Samford women's tennis team picked up its first loss of the season Saturday as it dropped a hard-fought match to cross-town rival UAB at the Pat M. Courington Tennis Pavilion. The two teams played in cold, unpleasant weather but the Bulldogs could not hold on to stay undefeated.

The Bulldogs were down 0-3 but came back to tie the match 3 at three wins each. The final point came down to the No. 1 singles match-up between Samford's Anna Jackson and UAB's Evelian Strijker. Jackson was up in the final set but Strijker battled back to win the match with a 6-3 score in the final set.

The Samford women will be back in action next Thursday as they join with the Bulldog men to play a match with Jacksonville State that was postponed two weeks ago due to inclement weather. Both Bulldog teams will travel to Jacksonville State on Feb. 28 to take on the rival Gamecocks at 2 p.m. at the JSU Tennis Complex.

UAB 4, Samford 3

Doubles
1. Nugent/Strijker (UAB) def. Jackson/Weaver (SAM), 8-4
2. Mallory/Morgan (SAM) def. Esen/Romeo (UAB), 8-4
3. Sovalp/Cape (UAB) def. Kirven/Meiring (SAM), 8-5

Singles
1. Evelian Strijker (UAB) def. Anna Jackson (SAM), 6-2, 5-7, 6-3
2. Gulsah Esen (UAB) def. Rebecca Kirven (SAM), 6-2, 6-4
3. Taylor Morgan (SAM) def. Antonia Nugent (UAB), 6-3, 6-4
4. Andrie Meiring (SAM) def. Seden Sovalp (UAB), 7-5, 6-2
5. Jennifer Cape (UAB) def. Lindsey Mallory (SAM), 6-0, 6-1
6. Katie Weaver (SAM) def. Giorgia Romeo (UAB), 2-6, 6-3, 7-5