Seton Hall University
Rutgers
Players Mentioned
Liljekvist Stays Perfect but Pirates' Streak Halted by Rutgers
2/14/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
NEW PROVIDENCE, N.J. - Senior Hannah Liljekvist (Djursholm, Sweden) continued what has been a perfect spring but a shorthanded Seton Hall tennis team was edged by Rutgers, 5-2, on Sunday in New Providence.
The Hall (3-2) had just five players available for singles competition but still made a push for its fourth-straight victory with Liljekvist and classmate Isabell Klingert (Oberbalbach, Germany) scoring from the second and third positions respectively.
The two-time All-BIG EAST honoree also teamed with reigning conference Player of the Week Luize Strike (Riga, Latvia) to improve to 5-0 from the top doubles spot as the Pirates came within one win of securing the doubles point.
Liljekvist and Strike combined to outlast Gina Li and Mariam Zein in a 7-6 (6) affair, nearly swaying the doubles point in SHU's favor for the fourth consecutive outing.
Klingert and Thandy Kangwa (Fort Myers, Fla.) pushed Farris Cunningham and Lindsey Kayati to a 12th game but ultimately fell 7-5 as the Scarlet Knights clinched a one-point edge heading into singles action.
With the Pirates down to five available players, that advantage was doubled before head-to-head matchups began and a spirited Seton Hall comeback ultimately came up short. Liljekvist and Klingert both logged straight-set wins with the former extending her streak to 10 consecutive sets won in the process.
Up against Chloe Lee at No. 2, Liljekvist took the first set, 6-2, before emerging victorious by a 7-5 score in the second to move her spring record to 5-0.
After recording her first win of the spring in a sweep of Fairfield last time out, Klingert picked up a second-straight victory with a 6-4, 6-1 triumph over Ksenija Tihomirova in third singles. The senior has now dropped just seven games in her last two appearances.
Julia Keenan (Greenland, N.H.) rallied to force a tiebreak in a fifth singles showdown with Kayati, nearly adding a third point for The Hall but Kayati came out on top in the decisive frame.
The Pirates will be back in action next Sunday in New Providence, hosting Quinnipiac to close a mini two-match home stand. Start-time is scheduled for Noon.
Seton Hall 2, Rutgers 5
Doubles
#1. Hannah Liljekvist/Luize Strike (SHU) def. Gina Li/Mariam Zein (RU), 7-6 (6)
#2. Chloe Lee/Ksenija Tihomirova (RU) def. Julia Keenan/Katie Kim (SHU), 6-3
#3. Farris Cunningham/Lindsey Kayati (RU) def. Thandy Kangwa/Isabell Klingert (SHU), 7-5
Singles
#1. Gina Li (RU) def. Luize Strike (SHU), 6-3, 6-0
#2. Hannah Liljekvist (SHU) def. Chloe Lee (RU), 6-2, 7-5
#3. Isabell Klingert (SHU) def. Ksenija Tihomirova (RU), 6-4, 6-1
#4. Mariam Zein (RU) def. Katie Kim (SHU), 6-0, 7-6 (3)
#5. Lindsey Kayati (RU) def. Julia Keenan (SHU), 7-5, 2-6, 10-1
#6. Farris Cunningham (RU) - walkover
