UC Santa Barbara's Dalskov Downs Pair Of Big West Opponents
UC Santa Barbara junior Anders Dalskov (Hoersholm, Denmark) posted a 3-0 record at No. 2 singles and went 2-1 at No. 2 doubles to claim Big West Men's Tennis Athlete of the Week honors. Two of the opponents he beat in singles were from Big West schools.
Dalskov first dispatched a non-conference opponent from Denver, beating Nejc Smole in the tightest of matches by a 7-6, 6-7, 10-8 score. He then toppled UC Irvine's Victor Lamm, ekeing out another close first set (7-6) before Lamm retired with Dalskov trailing 5-6 in the second set. Dalskov defeated UC Riverside's Joe Cartledge 6-4, 6-1 to help the Gauchos to a 7-0 team victory over the Highlanders and clinch the No. 3 seed in next week's Big West Men’s Tennis Championship.
Dalskov partnered with Grant Robertson to defeat the Anteater duo of Zac Tsai and Andrei Radulescu 8-5. The UCSB tandem also picked up an 8-3 win over UCR's Jordan Peana and Pedraum Rouhafza. This is Dalskov's first career Big West Athlete of the Week award.
Long Beach State's Grady and UC Irvine's Bernhard Rule At The Top
Long Beach State sophomore Hannah Grady (Coventry, England) and UC Irvine sophomore Becky Bernhard (Roseville, CA) maintained their grip as two of the top singles players in the Big West as each player posted victories over a first team all-conference opponent. The result was Big West Women's Tennis Co-Athlete of the Week honors for the 49er and Anteater stars.
Grady's handiwork included a 6-2, 7-5 triumph over Pacific's Vana Mrazovic at No. 1 singles. Mrazovic earned All-Big West first team honors in 2004 and 2005. Grady also teamed with Jessica Weeks to pull out a victory over Mrazovic and Svenja Arens at No. 2 doubles, winning 8-7 (4).
Bernhard defeated Cal State Northridge's Silvia Gutierrez, a first team all-conference member in 2005 and 2006, outlasting her 6-4, 4-6, 10-4. She improved to 5-1 in Big West play at No. 1 singles. Bernhard tied the UC Irvine school record of eight Athlete of the Week awards, shared by former women's tennis player Anna Bentzer and men's basketball player Jerry Green.