Dogs wrap up tennis classic
Bulldogs' double effort falls short in final match
Juan Villa / The Collegian
The Fresno State tandem of Tinesta Rowe (above) and Vanessa Heroux fell just short of winning the doubles championship in the Bulldog Tennis Classic, Sunday. Rowe and Heroux lost to Sacramento State’s Anastassia Lyssenko and Aileen Tsan, 4-8.
(below) Fresno State’s Vanessa Heroux attempts a volley during the Bulldogs’ doubles final loss to Sacramento State’s Anastassia Lyssenko and Aileen Tsan. Heroux and partner Tinesta Rowe took second.
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By Jillian Yalung
The Collegian
With the sound of tennis balls connecting to rackets and the exchange of loud grunts at the Spalding G. Wathen Tennis Center, it is clear the Fresno State women’s tennis team is in full swing.
Six universities made their way to Fresno State to take part in the annual Fresno State Bulldog Classic Tournament.
Being the Bulldog’s first tournament of their off-season, the exposure will be beneficial for their upcoming tournaments and will prepare them for their busy season starting in January.
“Everyone felt that this was good practice,” said Amanda Griffin, a first-year player. “After the finals ended we had a meeting discussing how this was great preparation for next weekend.”
In the doubles competition, Fresno State’s Vanessa Heroux and Tinesta Rowe fell short in the finals to Anastassia Lyssenko and Aileen Tsan of Sacramento State, ending their match 4-8.
“It was a good tournament to evaluate our strengths and our areas of opportunity,” said Fresno State head coach Simon Thibodeau. “Our main goal was to compete and see where we are as a team.”
Having just started practice two weeks ago with an intense conditioning program, Thibodeau is content with the outcome of his players in the classic.
“We had a [doubles] team that was in the finals and another [doubles] team in the semifinals,” said Thibodeau of his players. “We did lose a couple of tough matches this weekend, but it is our first event.”
Also in the doubles competition, Fresno State’s Danon Beatty and Renata Kucerkova advanced to the semi-finals, where they met with Sacramento State’s doubles team Lyssenko and Tsan. They fell to the Hornets 4-8.
In the singles competition, Beatty and Kucerkova both made it to the quarterfinals.
Heroux, a freshman from Montreal, Canada, played in the singles consolation final where she was defeated 10-6 by Tsan.
“I think that this was a good learning experience for us,” says Coach Thibodeau. “I would like to see us improve in every tournament.”
Next week the Bulldogs will travel to Berkeley to compete in the Cal-Nike Invitational.
The Bulldogs will also be on the road for the remainder of the calendar year.
Road trips include stops in Los Angeles, San Diego and Michigan before returning to Fresno Jan. 28, 2007.
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