Sports

Cougars swept by a Hurricane

By Emily Davis
The Daily Cougar

The Cougar tennis team has never been as proud of a 6-0 loss as it was after Wednesdayis showdown with No. 48 Tulsa.

In another match that was forced inside because of rain, this time moved to Chancellors Racquet Club, UH met the ranked teamis challenge head-on and was pleased with the results.

Pin Lim/The Daily Cougar

"This was a good match," head coach Jennifer Hyde said. "It sounds odd since itis a 6-0 loss, but we played better today than we have all season."

With freshman Miranda Foley taking on nationally ranked Alicia Pillay (19) at No. 1 singles, the David vs. Goliath match gave the Golden Hurricane star a run for her money. 

Foley took the first set 7-5 but fell 6-2 in the second before losing the third set in a 7-5 tie-breaker.

"Pillay is a senior and was ranked No. 8 in the nation at the beginning of the season." Hyde said. "Foley gave her all she could handle, and this is great to see happen with a freshman."

Senior Ani Longoni also had a scuffle with one of the NCAAis top players. Playing in the No. 2 singles match, Longoni fell 2-6, 7-6, 6-4 to Aleks Durska, who consistently ranks among the nationis top 100.

"This was the best tennis I have seen from Ani since sheis been at UH," Hyde said. "She was up 5-2 in the second set and could have taken the match. She was really playing well."

Despite losses from Karine Urbin (6-3, 6-4), Kami Miller (7-6, 5-7, 6-4) and Sandy Blajer (6-2, 6-2), the Cougars (8-8, 1-2 in Conference USA) remain confident that they will finish strong.

"Just when the girls thought they had given all they had, they realized they had more left," Hyde said. "They always have more left in them."

Houston next plays Sam Houston State at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the John E. Hoff Varsity Tennis Courts.

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