14th-ranked Clemson women's tennis opens season with 6-1 win over FIU

The 14th-ranked Clemson women’s tennis team opened the 2012 dual match season with a 6-1 win over Florida International on Friday afternoon at the Clemson Indoor Tennis Center. Clemson improved to 1-0 all-time against the No. 72 Panthers (0-1), and will take on College of Charleston on Sunday at 11:00 am.

Clemson dropped the doubles point, but bounced back to win the first four singles matches handily against the Panthers.

The nation’s eighth-ranked doubles team of Josipa Bek and Keri Wong won their match, 8-1, at flight one doubles for Clemson, but the Tigers dropped matches at two and three to the Panthers. For Bek, with was the 105th career doubles win for the senior, who tied the school record held by Ina Hadziselimovic (2007-10). Wong isn’t far behind, as she recorded her 101st career victory, which moves her alone into third all-time.

Bek then came out and took down her opponent, Sarah McLean, 6-0, 6-1, without dropping a game until the 11th frame. 65th-ranked Keri Wong followed that with 6-2, 6-1 win at flight two over Lisa Johnson.

Photo by Mark Crammer

Women's Tennis - Romy Kolzer

Clemson’s highest-ranked player, No. 58 Klara Vyskocilova defeated Rita Maisak, 6-4, 6-0 after Maisak fought off a 4-1 deficit to tie the match at 4-4 in the first set. Vyskocilova then reeled off the next eight games for her first win of 2012. Nelly Ciolkowski opened her season on a strong note, taking down Giulietta Boha, 6-2, 6-1 at flight four.

Romy Kölzer and Monika Kochanova, each making their debuts in dual match play, took first set tiebreakers over their respective opponents, but dropped their second sets. But both players pulled through in their first match in the orange and white, pulling through with super-tiebreak wins.

Photo by Mark Crammer

Women's Tennis - Keri Wong & Josipa Bek

Clemson plays the first five matches at home before heading on the road on Feb. 1.

Clemson 6, Florida International 1

Doubles:

1. #8 Bek/Wong (CU) def. Maisak/ McLean (FIU), 8-1

2. Boha/Guttormsen (FIU) def. Kochanova/Vyskocilova (CU), 8-4

3. Johnson/Seredini (FIU) def. Ciolkowski/Kölzer (CU), 8-4

Order of Finish: 1,2,3*

Singles:

1. Josipa Bek (CU) def. Sarah McLean (FIU), 6-0, 6-1

2. #65 Keri Wong (CU) def. Lisa Johnson (FIU), 6-2, 6-1

3. #58 Klara Vyskocilova (CU) def. Rita Maisak (FIU), 6-4, 6-0

4. #67 Nelly Ciolkowski (CU) def. Giulietta Boha (FIU), 6-2, 6-1

5. Monika Kochanova (CU) v. Christine Seredni (FIU), 7-6(3), 2-6, 1-0 (10-2)

6. Romy Kölzer (CU) def. Karyn Guttormsen (FIU), 7-6(5), 4-6, 1-0 (10-6)

Order of Finish: 1,2,3,4*,6,5

Time of Match: 4:45

Records: Clemson 1-0, FIU 0-1