Only 22 players in Syracuse history have notched 100 career wins. Masha Kabanova did it in two and a half seasons.

Kabanova’s 100th win came Friday against St. John’s Nataliya Kostova, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, in No. 1 singles. She also joined Shervin Saedinia in No. 1 doubles in an 8-3 win over Kostova and Tessa Lewis to aid the Orangewomen (5-4, 3-1 Big East) past the Red Storm (1-2, 1-1), 7-0.

‘We do everything we can here,’ Kabanova said. ‘I really attribute (getting 100 wins) to work ethic.’

In three seasons at SU, Kabanova has gained the reputation of being a competitor and a winner.

‘She’s one of the toughest players I’ve ever seen,’ teammate Alexa Konstand said. ‘She never gives up, and she’s one of the players I most admire.’

Kabanova, a junior from Moscow, has used her improved top-spin shot and backhand to notch a 13-12 singles record this season, with several of the matches played in No. 1 singles. The experience at No. 1 singles will allow Kabanova to improve even more.

‘She’s one of the best players on this team,’ head coach Mac Gifford said. ‘I want her playing as high as she possibly can. How good would Syracuse basketball be if they played Duke everyday?’

An easier question to answer is how Kabanova has improved her strokes and matured as a tennis player. Kabanova has gained experience from playing two full years and understanding how to close out a match.

‘There were times when she was a freshman when she was exasperated because she didn’t know how to win,’ Gifford said. ‘(As a junior) she’s picking up on other players and using that to put them on the defensive.’

SU seemed to be on the defensive a day later against Yale, (6-0) losing 7-0. Daniela Kaluskova played through flu-like symptoms but could not overcome Susie Hiniker and Elizabeth Oosterhuis, who defeated Kaluskova and Konstand, 8-6, in No. 3 doubles. Syracuse lost by the same score in No. 1 doubles and never capitalized on opportunities to win a point.

‘There were a few matches where a few points could have turned the tide,’ Gifford said. ‘To make a basketball analogy, they were rebounding the ball very well, and they weren’t missing their passes.’

The Orangewomen will try to rebound from the defeat Friday at 4 p.m. at Drumlins Tennis Club when they play the University of Minnesota (3-8). SU will regain sophomore Zani Suttle, who has missed the entire season with a shoulder injury.

‘These matches are against tough teams, so it’s really going to prepare us for the Big East tournament,’ Konstand said. ‘It’s going to give us a lot of good matches, and we’re going to do good things.’

Published on March 5, 2002 at 12:00 pm