The ASU tennis team (5-2) increased its winning streak to three games on Saturday with a 7-0 win over San Francisco.
In order to avoid a potential rainout, the game started earlier than it had previously been scheduled, with the first serve taking place at 9 a.m.
The order of the dual match was also rearranged, as the teams played through the singles portion to begin the game as opposed to playing doubles.
Head coach Sheila McInerney said she felt the modification of the order played an influential role in how the team warmed up, citing that the players needed to be ready to go from the first point.
"I think (the rearranged order) worked out fine today because it was windy and a little chilly this morning, so to start off and have a little more time to get into the match, I think, was helpful," McInerney said.
The change in order appeared to have no effect on the team, which dominated the match from the get-go and never looked back. ASU would go on to sweep its opponent in the singles session, winning all five games without dropping a set.
Some of the players were actually inviting of the alteration to the set up and enjoyed beginning with the singles portion of the match.
"It’s something different for sure, but I kind of liked it," sophomore Kassidy Jump said. "It actually felt like a juniors tournament a little bit, because when you’re younger you’d always play singles first, and then later at night you’d play the doubles. Still, I kind of like the doubles first because of the energy."
Just as the singles session concluded, rain began to fall, resulting in a brief 7-minute rain delay.
Once play resumed and the doubles matches of the game began, the result on the court proved to be no different.
The Sun Devils went on to sweep all three matches of the doubles. The team has now claimed all seven possible points out of seven doubles segments played during the dual-match season.
With the 7-0 win, the team has now swept back-to-back opponents and has won its third-consecutive game.
The team was proud of its result.
"I think it was good," Jump said. "I think we all took care of business when we got on the court. We played our game, we finished, and got it done quick."
The team was anticipating playing back-to-back home games for the first time this season, but its match against No. 18 Pepperdine that was previously scheduled for tomorrow has been rescheduled to March 19. According to McInerney, the change comes as a result of a potential rainout to the match had it been played Sunday.
McInerney said that she was happy just to have at least completed today's match, but looks forward to facing such a highly touted opponent in Pepperdine.
"The good news is it looks good next weekend on Saturday (against No. 64 St. Mary's)," she said. "Nothing we can do about the weather, but we’ll get them in a couple of weeks."
Junior Desirae Krawczyk said that not playing Pepperdine tomorrow isn't too much of a disappointment.
"It would've been nice to play Pepperdine tomorrow because of the momentum, but we’re gonna play them eventually, and I think we’ll be ready for it," she said.
The team is approaching a busy stretch where it will play eight games in the span of 15 days beginning next weekend with a home match against St. Mary's. The stint will also include three road matches.
"I’m really excited," Jump said. "I really like season. I think it’s so much fun. It makes it go by so quick, too — not that you want it go by — but, it goes by quick."
Despite the volume of matches about to ramp up, the players remain insistent on taking a methodical, week-by-week approach, and are not allowing their winning streak to become a distraction.
"We’re doing pretty well," Krawczyk said. "We’re just looking to move forward and have good practices coming in. We’re focusing on St. Mary’s, then Marquette and Penn (State) coming up. I think we’re all excited just to play and help each other out to get ready to play those tough matches."
Today's results:
Singles
1. Desirae Krawczyk (ASU) def. Andrea Ka (USF), 6-4, 7-5
2. Stephanie Vlad (ASU) def. Thyra Taune (USF), 6-2, 6-0
3. Kassidy Jump (ASU) def. Marina Nikolic (USF), 6-3, 6-3
4. Joanna Smith (ASU) def. Milica Hadzi-Tanovic (USF), 6-1, 6-1
5. Ebony Panoho (ASU) def. Genevieve McCloskey (USF), 6-4, 7-5
6. Gussie O’Sullivan (ASU) def. Ines Teixeira (USF), 6-0, 6-0
Order of finish: 6, 3, 4, 2, 5, 1
Doubles
1. Krawczyk/Vlad (ASU) def. Ka/Nikolic (USF), 6-4
2. Smith/Jump (ASU) def. McCloskey/Taune (USF), 6-3
3. Panoho/Alex Osborne (ASU) def. Hadzi-Tanovic/Teixeira (USF), 6-2
Order of finish: 3, 2, 1
The Sun Devils will next take on No. 64 St. Mary's on Saturday, March 7 at 12 p.m. in Tempe.
The team's match previously scheduled for tomorrow against No. 18 Pepperdine has been rescheduled and will be played on Thursday, March 19.
Reach the reporter at kajone31@asu.edu or follow @kaelenjones on Twitter.
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