San Jose, Calif.----- San Jose State University sophomore Savannah Sendar broke the serve of her opponent three times in the final set to post a 6-7, 6-3, 6-2 comeback victory and lead the Spartans to a 4-3 win over Marquette University in a non-conference women's tennis match.
Five of the six singles matches went to a third set. San Jose State (5-4) broke a four-match losing streak by winning at #4 (Sendar), #5 (Laura Malsert) and at #6 singles (Klara Milojkovic). All three singles wins came with the Spartans losing their respective first sets.
"Obviously, it's a lot of responsibility to be the last match on (the courts). But in the third set, I was feeling better than the first and second sets. I played with more confidence from the beginning of the third set. That helped," said Sendar, who sensed her opponent, Alexandrina Chinikova, was tiring.
"I knew if I could run to every ball and if I could get everything back, hopefully, I'll get the match," added Sendar, who credited Chinikova with keeping her off balance the first two sets.
"It was a great match on both sides. Both teams played their hearts out. Somebody was going to lose. Fortunately, it wasn't us," said San Jose State women's tennis head coach Chad Skorupka, whose team ended a four-match losing streak. "It was a great comeback today by us."
Trailing, 3-2, the Spartans tied the score when Malsert broke the serve of Marquette's Isabella Franks in their final game for a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory.
Losing the doubles point to open the match, San Jose State's Miyo Kobayashi tied the score at 1-1 when her opponent, Natalija Popovic, was forced to retire in the second set due to injury.
Milojkovic eked out a 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 win tying the match score at 2-2. Tamara Culibrk of San Jose State lost to Marquette's Fleur Eggink, 6-7, 6-4, 6-3, leaving it up to her teammates Malsert and Sendar.
"It (the win) showed some depth in our team. Alba (Pedrero Galindo) hasn't lost much this season. She loses in singles, but yet we got this match. It shows some people stepped up," concluded Skorupka.
Marquette (8-7) playing its third California opponent on its West Coast trip came up winless.
San Jose State concludes its current homestand hosting College of Charleston, Wednesday, March 20, at noon in the Spartan Tennis Complex. There is no admission charge.
San Jose State University women's tennis
San Jose State vs. Marquette
Spartan Tennis Complex, San Jose, Calif.
March 16, 2019
Final Score: San Jose State (SJSU) 4, Marquette (MAR) 3.
| Doubles |
| Fleur Eggink & Natalija Popovic (MAR) def. Tamara Culibrk & Savannah Sendar (SJSU), 6-4 |
| Miyo Kobayashi & Alba Pedrero Galindo (SJSU) vs. Alexandrina Chinikova & Elisabeth Desmarais (MAR), 5-3, unfinished |
| Lesley Foe & Milica Novakovic (MAR) def. Laura Malsert & Klara Milojkovic (SJSU), 6-1 |
| Order of finish: 3,1 |
| Singles |
| Fleur Eggink (MAR) def. Tamara Culibrk (SJSU), 6-7, 6-4, 6-3 |
| Miyo Kobayashi (SJSU) def. Milica Novakovic (MAR), 6-4, 5-1, retired |
| Natalija Popovic (MAR) def. Alba Pedrero Galindo (SJSU), 6-7, 6-3, 6-2 |
| Savannah Sendar (SJSU) def. Alexandrina Chinikova (MAR), 6-7, 6-3, 6-2 |
| Laura Malsert (SJSU) def. Isabella Franks (MAR), 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 |
| Klara Milojkovic (SJSU) def. Elisabeth Desmarais (MAR), 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 |
| Order of finish: 2,3,6,1,5,4 |
| Records: San Jose State – 5-4; Marquette – 8-7. |