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best of sports
Revenge
sweet as 49ers claim Big West title
By Sarah Duffy
On-line Forty-Niner
The Long Beach State women's tennis team scored the biggest
victory in school history by beating UC Irvine, 4-2, April
28 in Ojai to win their first Big West Conference Championship
As a result of the victory, the 49ers made their first-ever
NCAA championship appearance, losing to Pepperdine May 10.
But that loss couldn't damper what the team had accomplished
this season.
"I'm just delighted," said Laura Thomas after winning
her match, 6-3, 6-4, against UCI's Anna Bentzer -- the victory
that clinched the Big West title for the 49ers.
LBSU coach Jenny Hilt raised her arms in celebration as the
team ran onto the courts after the victory.
"They just kept their heads on and just kept fighting,"
Hilt said.
Thomas called her meeting with Bentzer -- and the Anteaters
-- a revenge match. The Anteaters defeated the 49ers, 5-2,
April 13 at Long Beach, earning UCI the top seed in the Big
West Championships. Bentzer beat Thomas in straight sets during
that match.
"It's harder for someone to beat another person twice,"
Thomas said.
After the doubles point was lost, Anastasia Dvornikova and
Lindsey Marvel looked determined, heading back on the courts
for their singles matches at the No. 1 and No. 2 singles positions.
Dvornikova avenged a loss as well, beating Jonni Seymour,
6-3, 6-4 at the No. 1 singles spot. Seymour beat Dvornikova
in the team's earlier meeting.
Alena Dvornikova, playing at the No. 3 position in singles
and the No. 1 doubles with sister Anastasia, won her match
early, 6-1, 7-5, in singles, drawing huge cheers for the 49ers.
Cheryl Kindred, playing in the No. 5 spot, Anastasia Dvornikova
and Thomas then followed suit with singles' victories.
The 2002 Big West Most Valuable Player award went to Kindred,
who smashed an overhead just inside the baseline to close
out her match, 7-5, 6-1, against Hui Leow.
The victory had special meaning for Kindred, a senior who
remembers last year's Big West championship final loss to
Boise State.
"That's what we've been working for," Kindred said.
"That's been our goal since last year. Last year left
a bad taste in my mouth, and I'm glad that I was able to get
rid of that."
This article originally appeared in the April 30 edition of
the On-line Forty-Niner.
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