The doubles tandem of Urska Juric and Katka Sevcikova defeated No. 1 seeded Renata Stoop and Helen Lawson of Boise State 8-5 to claim the championship of the 64-team field. Previous to the finals, they defeated No.5 seeded Alena Jecminkova and Andrea Cooper of Kansas State 8-6 in the semifinals. The championship match was won in strong fashion as Sevcikova served up two strong aces to help close out the match.
Juric and Sevcikova now move onto the Omni Hotels National Intercollegiate Indoor Championships, held Nov. 8-11, in Dallas, Texas. There, they will compete in a field of 16 to battle for the National Indoor Tennis Championship. Missouri had another doubles team in the main draw that also had a very impressive run. Mary Barry and Cassie Drake won three matches to finish among the final eight of the 64-draw tournament.
"While I am beyond excited about what the whole team has done, we now have to look ahead," MU Coach Blake Starkey said. "Anything can happen. The one thing I do know is our team totally believes in itself."
Aside from the doubles, the Tigers had the best showing they have ever had in the main draw of the singles tournament. Three players, Kristina Olshanskaya, Barry and Drake, were in the qualifying rounds, and each won two matches to qualify into the main draw. Once in, they joined teammates Juric and Sevcikova, giving the Tigers a total of five in the main draw of the 64-player field.
When the tournament was down to the final 16 player three Tigers, Juric, Sevcikova and Barry, remained. When the tournament was down to the final eight, two were Tigers (Sevcikova and Barry). Barry's run was particularly impressive since she was initially a qualifier. In the history of the tournament, no other qualifier has ever made it past the second round, let alone to the final eight, which is what Barry did.
"It was a great tournament and we had a lot of fun together. What happened was special and rare, and we are aware of that," Starkey said. "Things like this don't happen unless you have a group that genuinely cares about each other. These are awesome, awesome kids, they really care about each other, and I think that's the most important thing. I've always believed that if people care for each other off the court, they will fight hard for each other on the court. You try to create an environment where these types of relationships can occur, and it's really wonderful to be around when it happens. It's a pleasure to be around this group."
While Juric was part of the championship team, it's not that which she recalls as the best part of the weekend. "At the beginning, we thought we could win," Juric said. "Mary said if we won, we would surprise coach and throw him in pool. He never saw this coming, and he was so cold and so wet. I can still see it. It was so funny. That was the best part."
Singles Qualifying Rounds - Day One:
Mary Barry (MU) def. Marta Rubina (Southwest Missouri State) 3-6, 6-3, 7-5
Mary Barry (MU) def. (#1) Jemima Hayward (Boise State) 1-6, 6-1, 6-3
Kristina Olshanskaya (MU) def. Ashlee Gee (Air Force Academy) 6-3, 6-1
Kristina Olshanskaya (MU) def. Erin Pauchnik (Oklahoma State) 6-4, 6-1
#6 Cassie Drake (MU) def. Edna Vasquez (Iowa State) 7-5, 6-0
#6 Cassie Drake (MU) def. Laura Nigro (Air Force Academy) 4-6, 7-5, 6-3
Singles Main Draw - Day Two:
Urska Juric (MU) def. Lisa Khoudorarova (Brigham Young) 6-1, 6-1
#15 Katka Sevcikova (MU) def. Sabrina Evers (Iowa State) 6-1, 6-2
Mary Barry (MU) def. Lindsay Ferrell (Brigham Young) 6-3, 5-7, 6-4
Petra Sedlmajerova (Kansas State) def. Kristina Olshanskaya (MU) 6-2,
6-3
#9 Maria Rosenberg (Kansas State) def. Cassie Drake (MU) 2-6, 7-6 (8),
6-4
Doubles Main Draw - Day Two:
Barry/Drake (MU) def. Rubina/Alvarez (Southwest Missouri State) 8-5
#7 Sevcikova/Juric (MU) - bye
Singles Main Draw - Day Three:
Urska Juric (MU) def. Yvonne deWaal (NAU) 6-1, 6-4
#15 Katka Sevcikova (MU) def. Bianca Posada (Tulsa) 6-1, 7-6 (7), 6-4
Mary Barry (MU) def. Dominique Limperle (Colorado) 7-5, 6-3
#2 Renata Stoop (Boise State) def. Urska Juric (MU) 6-4, 6-2
#15 Katka Sevcikova (MU) def. Stella Veerman (New Mexico State) 6-4, 7-6
(1)
Mary Barry (MU) def. Jana Sedevic (Tulsa) 6-3, 6-3
Doubles Main Draw - Day Three:
Barry/Drake (MU) def. #14 Chuda/Rosenberg (Kansas State) 8-4
Barry/Drake (MU) def. Braver/Bryntesson (Oklahoma) 8-5
#7 Sevcikova/Juric (MU) def. Cornelisson/Evers (Iowa State), injury
(Default)
#7 Sevcikova/Juric (MU) def. Sedevic/Barrios (Tulsa) 9-7
Singles Main Draw - Day Four:
Helen Lawson (Boise State) def. #15 Katka Sevcikova (MU) 4-6, 7-5, 7-5
(Quarterfinal)
#2 Renata Stoop (Boise State) def. Mary Barry (MU) 2-6, 7-6 (5), 7-5
(Quarterfinal)
Doubles Main Draw - Day Four:
#6 Dolman/Olszewska (Oklahoma State) def. Barry/Drake (MU) 8-4
(Quarterfinal)
#7 Sevcikova/Juric (MU) def. Hansson/Sullivan (Colorado State) 8-3
(Quarterfinal)
#7 Sevcikova/Juric (MU) def. Jeckminkova/Cooper (Kansas State) 8-4
(Semifinal)
Doubles Main Draw - Day Five - Finals
#7 Sevcikova/Juric (MU) def. #1 Lawson/Stoop (Boise State) 8-5