April 12, 2008

LOGAN, Utah -- Northern Colorado's women's tennis team improved to 5-12 on the spring season with a big victory Friday against Utah State.

The Bears swept through the doubles competition for an easy point there and then won five of the six singles matches.

Tabatha Knop and Manuela Santos, Northern Colorado's No. 1 doubles tandem, recovered from a loss to Denver in the Bears' last match to get back in the win column Friday night. They knocked off the Aggies' top duo of Brianna Harris and Hailey Swenson, 8-7 (7-5).

Knop then won her No. 1 singles match against Harris, 6-2, 6-0, and was joined in victory by Santos, Karen Groll, Luiza Xavier and Jodi Ciarvella.

The Bears will next play against Big Sky team Montana State at 11 a.m. (MT) Saturday, April 12.

RESULTS
Northern Colorado 6, Utah State 1
Doubles
Manuela Santos/Tabatha Knop (UNCO) def. Brianna Harris/Hailey Swenson, 8-7 (5)
Jodi Ciarvella/Karen Groll (UNCO) def. Taylor Perry/Jennifer Johnson, 8-2
Hannah LaForest/Tiffany Knop (UNCO) def. Britney Watts/Marie Livingston, 8-4

Singles
1. Tabatha Knop (UNCO) def. Harris, 6-2, 6-0
2. Hailey Swenson (USU) def. Tiffany Knop, 6-1, 6-1
3. Santos (UNCO) def. Watts, 6-1, 6-0
4. Groll (UNCO) def. Perry, 7-5, 6-3
5. Xavier (UNCO) def. Livingston, 6-4, 3-6, 6-1
6. Ciarvella (UNCO) def. Johnson, 7-5, 6-1