Women's Tennis News Releases
Brachova records 148th career victory in final collegiate match
Ram review - Senior Pavla Brachova (Ames/Ames) became Cornell's all-time winningest women's tennis player and the Rams set a single-season school record with their 20th dual win during the final week of the 2008-09 campaign.
The Rams competed in the Iowa Conference NCAA Automatic Qualifier Tournament Saturday in Cedar Rapids. The tournament featured the top four teams from the IIAC Dual Championships last fall. Cornell, which earned the No. 4 seed, saw its season end in a 5-0 loss to regular-season champion Coe in the semifinals. Luther gained the IIAC's automatic berth to the national tournament with a 5-2 win over Coe in the finals.
Cornell finished 20-9 overall in head coach Patrick Cote's second season at the helm. The Rams went 6-2 in IIAC duals, played in the fall.
The Rams reached the 20-win mark with a 5-4 nonconference victory over Grinnell April 21 in Grinnell. Cornell passed the 2002-03 squad, which finished 19-3 under coach Fred Burke, for most dual wins in a season. The 2008-09 Rams also played seven more duals than any team in school history.
"Hopefully, we can keep getting better," Cote said. "We played very well this season. We added depth and progressed as a team."
Brachova, who sat out the IIAC Qualifier Tournament due to a shoulder injury, won her final two collegiate matches in the Grinnell dual. She teamed with junior Caryl Abeyta (Eaton, Colo./Eaton) in an 8-3 victory at No. 1 doubles. Brachova then registered her record-setting 148th career victory with a convincing 6-0, 6-1 decision over Toby Cain at No. 1 singles.
Brachova finished her brilliant four-year run at Cornell with a 148-48 record. She passed 2007 graduate Emily Loewen (147 wins) for first place on the school's career wins list. Brachova, who became Cornell's career leader in doubles wins earlier this season, compiled career marks of 83-20 in doubles and 65-28 in singles. She finished third in all-time singles wins, behind Loewen (72) and 2006 graduate Marie Schutte (67).
Brachova wrapped a stellar senior season with a 20-6 record in singles and a 24-4 mark in doubles as the Rams' No. 1 player.
"Pavla played a great game this year. When she gets on the court, she takes care of business," Cote said. "Pavla is mentally tough and has been a very good leader for our team. She's beaten some very good players and has given us some big wins. It was fun to have her on the team. We'll definitely miss her."
Cornell rallied from a 2-1 deficit after doubles play against Grinnell. The Rams won four of the six singles matches, getting wins from Brachova, Abeyta at No. 2, freshman Kendall Bielinski (Kent, Wash./Kentwood) at No. 4 and freshman Amanda Johnson (North Branch, Minn./North Branch) at No. 5. Johnson outlasted her opponent in three sets, 4-6, 6-3 and 10-5.
With her two wins against Grinnell, Abeyta moved into 12th place on Cornell's career wins list with a 93-53 record. She finished a solid junior season 20-9 in singles play and 20-8 in doubles.
Coe 5, Cornell 0 (April 25, at Cedar Rapids)
Singles - Molly Fiala (Coe) def. Caryl Abeyta 6-0, 6-0; Andrea Schupbach (Coe) def. Kirsten Lasley 6-2, 6-1; Katy Delagardelle (Coe) def. Kendall Bielinski 6-3, 6-1; Megan Fiala (Coe) def. Amanda Johnson 6-3, 6-1; Susan Gilmer (Coe) vs. Devin Harmon (Cor) 6-2, unfinished; Natalie Bordignon (Coe) won by default.
Cornell 5, Grinnell 4 (April 21, at Grinnell)
Singles - Pavla Brachova (Cor) def. Toby Cain 6-0, 6-1; Abeyta (Cor) def. Jill Akiyama 6-2, 6-1; Maya Lipert (Gri) def. Lasley 6-3, 7-5; Bielinski (Cor) def. Tatyana Sukharnikova 6-4, 7-5; Johnson (Cor) def. Elizabeth Spears 4-6, 6-3, 10-5; Elizabeth Montgomery (Gri) def. Harmon 6-3, 6-3. Doubles - Brachova/Abeyta (Cor) def. Cain/Sukharnikova 8-3; Katie Colver/Lipert (Gri) def. Lasley/Harmon 8-4; Akiyama/Kelsey Picken (Gri) def. Bielinski/Johnson 8-5.
