Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
NCAA Championships
Mosolova Pushes No. 2 Seed but Falls at NCAA Championships
5/28/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
May 28, 2010
NCAA Singles Championship
Site: Athens, Ga. (Dan Magill Tennis Center)
Result: #2 Jana Juricova (CAL) def. #13 Maria Mosolova (NU), 6-3, 7-6 (8)
Next NU Event: Season Complete
NCAA Tennis Championships Central
ATHENS, Ga. -- Vying for a third straight trip to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Singles Championship, Northwestern's 13th-ranked Maria Mosolova challenged second-seeded Jana Juricova of California from start to finish in the round of 16 but ultimately fell 6-3, 7-6 (8). A three-time All-American at NU, Mosolova saved a total of six match points down the stretch of a tightly contested second set before Juricova edged out the frame in tiebreakers to advance.
"I thought Maria played very well today and showed a lot of pride and resiliency in extending the match," said Northwestern head coach Claire Pollard. "Certainly it's a tough outcome but becoming an All-American never gets old, nobody is going to take that honor for granted because it's difficult to achieve."
Next season, Mosolova will return to the NU lineup with the opportunity to become just the second four-time singles All-American in Northwestern program history. The Wildcat junior wraps up a 2009-10 campaign in which she was 32-14 in singles play with a 21-7 record at the No. 1 spot in Northwestern's dual lineup. Mosolova, the 2009 ITA Midwest Regional singles champion and a three-time All-Big Ten selection, has now compiled a record of 109-26 through three seasons with the 'Cats.
Mosolova and Juricova last squared off in the semifinals of the ITA National Indoor Team championship where Juricova, a national doubles champion as a freshman last season, defeated Mosolova in two sets. On Friday, Mosolova came out strong and played Juricova even (3-3) through six games. But the Golden Bear gained momentum late in the first set and held on to win it 6-3.
Again Mosolova got off to a solid start in the second, tightening up her game and fighting to a 4-2 advantage. A hold of serve and ensuing break by Juricova tied the set at four, however, and Mosolova soon slipped behind 5-4.
In Mosolova's next service game, Juricova jumped ahead 40-15 before Mosolova staved off two match points and twice went up an ad point. After fending off one more match point, Mosolova finally won the extended deuce game to make it five-all.
Both players stayed on serve over the next two games, sending the set to a tiebreaker. The action was back-and-forth once again, with Mosolova winning three more points along the way that would have sealed her fate. Eventually, however, Juricova won back-to-back points to win the breaker 10-8, and move on to the quarterfinals.
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