MIAMI SHORES, Fla.—The fourth-ranked Barry Buccaneers, playing short-handed, knocked off three-time defending national champs, the top-ranked Armstrong Atlantic Pirates, 5-4 at the Buccaneer Tennis Center on Friday. The win snapped the Pirates’ 69 match winning streak, dating back to Mar. 31, 2009.
The Bucs (17-1) came out strong in doubles, taking two of three. The top pair of Barbi Pocza and Laura Boguet knocked off the Pirates third-ranked team of Alida Mueller-Wehlau and Barbora Krtickova 8-3 at number one. The Pirates (21-1) bounced back to take number two behind Alida Mueller-Wehlau and Tina Ronel as they beat Angie Werschel and Alex Gwizdowski 8-3. At number three, Julie Stas and Olivia Matuszak gave the Bucs the edge, beating Kathleen Henry and Joana Szymczyk 8-2.
With two key Buccaneers out of the singles lineup in Matuszak and Boguet, the Pirates started making a comeback in singles. The Bucs won the bottom two flights in very short order as Mona Mansour upset #46 Henry 6-3, 6-0 at number five, while Stas knocked out Jessica Gardefjord 6-2, 6-2 at number six.
But Armstrong Atlantic won the first set at the four remaining matches. Eleventh-ranked Krtickova defeated Caroline Wendling 6-2, 7-5 at number three. At number four, Ronel swept out Gwizdowski 6-3, 6-2 to narrow the gap to 4-3.
The top two flights both went to third sets, with the Bucs pulling out the victories. After AASU won 6-3 in the first set at number one, eighth-ranked Pocza fought off three match points against #5 Mueller-Wehlau in the second set to win in a tie-breaker 7-2, then dominated the third set 6-1 to clinch the match for Barry.
Werschel, ranked #33, recovered from a tie-break loss in the first set, to upset #11 Filipovsk 6-7 (6), 6-1, 6-3 at number two to put the icing on the cake as the sun was setting over the Buccaneer Tennis Center.
The Bucs, seeded second, now head off to the Sunshine State Conference tournament at Sanlando Park in Altamonte Springs, Fla., Apr. 14-16. They will face the seventh-seeded Tampa Spartans in the first round.
Tennis Match Results
Armstrong Atlantic vs Barry
04/08/11 at Miami Shores, Fla.
(Buccaneer Tennis Center)
#4 Barry 6, #1 Armstrong Atlantic 3
Singles competition
1. #8 Barbi Pocza (BUW) def. #5 Alida Mueller-Wehlau (AAW) 3-6, 7-6 (7-2), 6-1
2. #33 Angie Werschel (BUW) def. #14 Aleksandra Filipovsk (AAW) 6-7 (6-8), 6-1, 6-3
3. #11 Barbora Krtickova (AAW) def. Caroline Wendling (BUW) 6-2, 7-5
4. Tina Ronel (AAW) def. Alex Gwizdowski (BUW) 6-3, 6-2
5. Mona Mansour (BUW) def. #46 Kathleen Henry (AAW) 6-3, 6-0
6. Julie Stas (BUW) def. Jessica Gardefjord (AAW) 6-2, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. Laura Boguet/Barbi Pocza (BUW) def. Aleksandra Filipovsk/Barbora Krtickova (AAW) 8-3
2. Alida Mueller-Wehlau/Tina Ronel (AAW) def. Angie Werschel/Alex Gwizdowski (BUW) 8-3
3. Julie Stas/Olivia Matuszak (BUW) def. Kathleen Henry/Joana Szymczyk (AAW) 8-2
Match Notes:
Armstrong Atlantic 21-1; National ranking #1
Barry 17-1; National ranking #4