Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
NCAA Doubles Second Round
Wildcats Fall in Second Round of NCAA Doubles Tournament
5/25/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
May 25, 2007
ATHENS, Ga. -- Senior Alexis Prousis (Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest) and sophomore Georgia Rose's (Mettawa, Ill./North Shore Country Day) seasons ended Friday as the duo fell to Pepperdine's Bianca Dulgheru and Sylvia Kosakowski in the second round of the NCAA doubles tournament, 6-3, 6-4. Prousis ends an impressive four-year career that includes the 2006 NCAA doubles championship, an All-American honor and three All-Big Ten selections.
The Waves controlled the momentum of the match from the start, going ahead 1-0 by holding serve and then eventually going up 3-1 with a break. The 'Cats had several opportunities to take the first break of the match at 1-1, but the Waves managed to hold.
After a perfect game by the Waves to take a 4-1 advantage, they broke the Wildcats go pull ahead 5-2. Rose and Prousis took a break back to close to 5-2 and held off two set points to make the score 5-3. Pepperdine held serve to take the first set, 6-3.
Pepperdine got right after it in the second set, taking a break from the 'Cats for an early 1-0 lead. They would hold serve twice and break NU for a 4-0 lead.
The Wildcats did not go quietly, holding serve for 4-1 and notching a break of their own to close to 4-2. Behind Rose's powerful serves, the 'Cats closed to 4-3.
NU had two break point opportunities, but could not convert to even the set at 4-4. Pepperdine held to extend its advantage to 5-3.
With Prousis serving, the 'Cats held off two match points to make the score 5-4. An error of a Prousis first serve won the game for the 'Cats.
NU fought to stay in the match in the next game, surving its third match point at 40-30 to even the game at deuce. Rose put on a show for the crowd at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex, hitting multiple volleys and running all over the court to keep the 'Cats in the match.
Rose gave the tandem a chance at a break and a chance at new life, but Pepperdine fought off the break point and eventually took the advantage for their fourth match point.
The 'Cats forced deuce again and had their second break point of the match, but Pepperdine evened the game again and eventually converted on their fifth match point opportunity.
