Air Force Academy

April 9, 2010

The Air Force women's tennis team won one singles and one doubles match Friday, but dropped a 6-1 decision to 39th-ranked Utah Friday afternoon at the Academy. Freshman Christine Molina was a part of both Air Force wins, capturing the No. 4 singles match and pairing with sophomore Allie Chermel to win the No. 2 doubles contest. Air Force fell to 14-8 overall and 1-3 in Mountain West Conference action, while the Utes improved to 12-6 and 4-0.

The Utes took an early1-0 lead by with wins at the Nos. 1 and 3 spots. At the top spot, Anastasia Putilina and Paige Miles posted an 8-2 triumph over Christen Monreal and Hannah Dake, while Evgenia Kryuchkova and Lisa Johnson won 8-3 over Melissa Cecil and Erlyn Rudico at No. 3. Molina and Chermel were impressive in an 8-4 victory over Erin Monson and Andrea Maughan at No. 2.

Cassman improved to 25-12 overall and 16-6 this spring with a come-from-behind 2-6, 6-4, (10-7) victory over Miles, but the Utes won the other five matches, four of them in straight sets. The only other three-setter was at the No. 6 spot, where Maughan rallied to defeat Air Force junior Sarah Cassman, 5-7, 6-3, (10-8).

"I am extremely pleased with our effort and fight today," said Air Force head coach Kim Gidley. "We showed some progress in the doubles and the singles. Christine Molina came back from a set and 3-0 down in the second set to win in a tie-breaker and Sarah Cassman was down 4-1 and came back to win the first set, then was down 8-2 in the tie-breaker and came back only to lose 10-8."

#39 Utah 6, Air Force 1

Singles
1. Anastasia Putilina (UU) def. Christen Monreal, 6-2, 6-3
2. Evgenia Kryuchkova (UU) def. Tahlia Smoke, 6-4, 7-5
3. Erin Monson (UU) def. Hannah Dake, 6-2, 6-1
4. Christine Molina (AF) def. Paige Miles, 2-6, 6-4, (10-7)
5. Lisa Johnson (UU) def. Melissa Cecil, 6-0, 6-4
6. Andrea Maughan (UU) def. Sarah Cassman, 5-7, 6-3, (10-8)

Doubles
1. Putilina / Miles (UU) def. Monreal / Dake, 8-2
2. Molina / Allie Chermel (AF) def. Monson / Maughan, 8-4
3. Kryuchkova / Johnson (UU) def. Cecil / Erlyn Rudico, 8-3