Loss to Dukes not enough to deter Pitt tennis

The Pitt women’s tennis team ended its regular season on Wednesday with a loss to hometown… The Pitt women’s tennis team ended its regular season on Wednesday with a loss to hometown opponent Duquesne. Though Pitt dropped the match to the Dukes, 5-2, the Panthers finished their regular season with a strong 14-6 record and a spot in the upcoming Big East Championships.

“Duquesne was a strong team, but the match will help us prepare for the Big East Championship,” head coach George Dieffenbach said. “And getting to the championship was our goal all season.”

The Panthers honored seniors Becky Emmers and Emily Hughes prior to the match at Club 4 Life in Monroeville, which was the seniors’ last home match with the Panthers. Pitt freshman Kristy Borza also added a bright spot to the loss.

Borza, who recorded one of the two Panther points and two of the three Panther victories of the match, increased her singles record to 24-7, which is two wins away from the all-time record of 26 wins in a season.

“Kristy has a good chance of matching or beating the all-time singles record,” Dieffenbach said. “With four matches left in the Big East championship, she will definitely have that as one of her goals.”

Borza took on Johanna Bezjak at the No. 1 singles spot and beat her 6-0, 6-2.

“It was a great, fast match,” Dieffenbach said. “She played the same girl earlier in the year and beat her then 6-2, 6-1, which shows good consistency. She’s obviously playing outstanding tennis at the top of the lineup and is at the top of her game going into the championship.”

Borza teamed up with Leah Friedman at No. 1 doubles against the Dukes’ Jacqueline Hughes and Rebecca Poole for an 8-4 win. Borza and Friedman increased their doubles record to 19-8 with the win.

“Borza and Friedman are one of the strongest doubles teams in the history of the University,” Dieffenbach said. “They have an outstanding record. They had a very good showing against a strong team [on Wednesday].”

Pitt’s Emily Hughes and Carlie Smith teamed up at the No. 2 doubles spot for a 8-6 loss to the Dukes’ Bezjak and Andrea Sailer.

“Hughes and Smith got off to a slow start which hurt them in the end,” Dieffenbach said.

Annie Davies and Becky Emmers took on the Dukes’ Ciara McDermott and Alexandria Albano at the No. 3 doubles spot and lost 8-6, which clinched the doubles point for the Dukes.

“Losing that doubles point was critical for the match,” Dieffenbach said. “It put a lot of pressure that we did not need on the singles matches.”

Friedman took on the Dukes’ Hughes at the No. 2 singles spot and lost 6-2, 6-3. Davies played at the No. 3 singles slot for a three-set loss to Poole, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4.

“Davies played strong and had a good comeback in the second match,” Dieffenbach said. “It was a good, close match.”

Hughes lost to Sailer in the No. 4 singles match, 7-5, 6-4. Smith dropped the No. 5 match to Alicia McNamara, 6-2, 4-6, 6-2.

“Smith really put up a good fight, it was an exciting match,” Dieffenbach said. “She got tough in the middle match and took her to three sets.”

Pitt’s Christie D’achille picked up the second point for the Panthers with a strong 6-4, 6-2 win over the Duke’s Abigail Ball. The win was D’achille’s fourth consecutive win and it increased her record to 8-4.

“D’achille has been playing notable tennis all season,” Dieffenbach said. “The last four matches especially have been really good and her record speaks for her outstanding play.”

The Panthers will begin Big East championship play on Thursday, April 20 in Tampa, Fla.

“We will most likely be an 11-seed and we have yet to find out our first opponent,” Dieffenbach said. “The team is ready, we have been preparing for it all season.”