Switch-up doesn't slow down Sun Devils

 by Tim O'Donnell
 published on Monday, March 24, 2008

Lindy Mapes / THE STATE PRESS

RIVALRY SPECIAL: Freshman Kelcy McKenna returns a serve during a doubles match against UA at the Whiteman Tennis Center on Saturday. The Sun Devils beat the Wildcats, 7-0.

The ASU women's tennis team remained undefeated at home with a 7-0 shutout of rival UA on Saturday.

ASU got out to an early lead after it swept the doubles, despite the absence of freshman Micaela Hein.

Coach Sheila McInerney said that Hein's rib was hurting during the week and caused her to miss the match.

Hein's absence forced the Sun Devils to change the doubles lineup and split up the sisters team of Nadia and Laila Abdala. Nadia Abdala instead played with freshman Kelcy McKenna.

But after the quick start, the Sun Devils faltered slightly at the beginning of singles play, especially at the top two spots.

Nadia Abdala, ASU's No. 1 player and the No. 35 player in the nation, got off to a slow start and fell behind 0-3 in the first set to UA's Danielle Steinberg.

Still, Abdala recovered to win 12 of the last 13 games and won the match 6-4, 6-0. Abdala closed out the match with a backhand winner and was greeted with an ovation from the crowd.

And though Abdala recovered, she admitted to being concerned.

"Oh my God, I was worried," Abdala said. "She's a very good competitor who's known for her feistiness. I wasn't intimidated, but I respected her."

Sun Devil senior Jessica Leitch had a more one-sided match, winning 6-1, 6-1 at the No. 4 singles spot.

"It's always good to beat your rival at home," Leitch said. "We have the mind set to play the best we can no matter who is on the other side of the court."

The victory was the Sun Devils second straight shutout and improved their overall record to 11-3.

Up next for ASU is Stanford, who McInerney has never defeated in her tenure at ASU.

"Stanford is on a different level than UA," McInerney said. "The girls are going to be excited."

Men give ASU sweep of UA

While the women defended their home court against the UA, the ASU men's tennis team went on the road but came away with the same result.ASU continued its best start to a season in nearly 30 years with a 4-3 victory over the Wildcats on Saturday.

ASU won three out of the six singles matches and edged the Wildcats by taking the doubles point.

"The doubles point was huge," ASU junior T.J Bellama said. "It gave us the momentum we needed going into singles."

The Sun Devils were lead by sophomores Andres Arango and Matt Brooklyn.

Arango teamed with freshman Harry Skinner to earn an 8-6 victory in doubles and followed it up by beating Jay Goldman 7-5, 7-5 in the No. 2 singles match.

Brooklyn defeated Claudio Christen 6-2, 6-4 at the No. 1 singles position.

As far as the undefeated season goes, Bellama said that the team does not really think about it.

"It's pretty cool, it's better than not being undefeated," Bellama said. Bellama added the team is more concerned with winning the Pac-10 Conference.

"Being undefeated is just a small piece that goes into the bigger picture," he said.

Reach the reporter at: todonnel@asu.edu.