Cyclones Fall To Alabama, 5-2

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Iowa State dropped a 5-2 decision to Alabama Saturday afternoon at Alabama Tennis Stadium. The Cyclones fall to 4-2 with the loss, while Alabama moves to 7-1 this season.

The match opened with Alabama earning the doubles point via wins at No. 2 and No. 3 by matching 6-3 scores.

In the highly anticipated ranked matchup at the top of the doubles card, the No. 51 pairing of Hsieh and Naklo were trailing 5-4 to No. 56 Isabella Harvison and Moka Ito when the match went unfinished.

The Crimson Tide secured the win with wins at No. 6, No. 3 and No. 1 singles.

Iowa State earned a pair of wins from freshmen Ting-Pei Chang at No. 4 and Chie Kezuka at No. 5.

Chang made quick work of Ares Teixido, winning 6-2, 6-4. Chang has now won her last four decisions.

Kezuka then won a three-setter against Sasha Gorchanyuk, defeating the freshman, 6-4, 2-6, 1-0 (6). With the win, Kezuka improves to 4-1 this spring.

Iowa State returns to action next weekend at home, hosting William & Mary on Friday (5 p.m.) and Georgia State on Sunday (9:30 a.m.) at Life Time Fitness in Urbandale.

Doubles (Order of Finish: 2, 3)
#1 – #51 Christin Hsieh/Thasaporn Naklo (ISU) vs. #56 Moka Ito/Isabella Harvison (ALA), 4-5, unfinished
#2 – Alba Cortina Pou/Sasha Gorchanyuk (ALA) def. Maty Cancini/Ting-Pei Chang (ISU), 6-3
#3 – Luca Fabian/Jacqueline Pelletier (ALA) def. Margarita Timakova/Chie Kezuka (ISU), 6-3

Singles (Order of Finish: 6, 3, 4, 1, 2, 5)
#1 – Moka Ito (ALA) def. #72 Naklo (ISU), 6-3, 6-3
#2 – Harvison (ALA) def. Cancini (ISU), 7-6, 6-3
#3 – Cortina Pou (ALA) def. Hsieh (ISU), 6-3, 6-1
#4 – Chang (ISU) def. Ares Teixido (ALA), 6-2, 6-4
#5 – Kezuka (ISU) def. Gorchanyuk (ALA), 6-4, 2-6, 1-0 (6)
#6 – Ann Selim (ALA) def. Timakova (ISU), 6-0, 6-1

Players Mentioned

Maty Cancini

Ting-Pei Chang

Christin Hsieh

Chie Kezuka

Thasaporn Naklo

Margarita Timakova

Sponsors

Iowa State University Athletics