University of Missouri
Indiana Invitational
Tigers Fare Well at Hoosier Classic
10/7/2003 12:00:00 AM | Tennis
Oct. 7, 2003
Bloomington, Ind.--Playing without the top of its line-up, the Mizzou women's tennis team won 14 of 24 matches at the Hoosier Classic hosted by Indiana University over the weekend. The tournament featured strong opposition as six of the seven tournament teams--Indiana, Louisiana State, Kansas State, Missouri, Iowa, Murray State, Eastern Michigan and Louisville-- have been NCAA Tournament competitors within the last two years.
Freshman Yelena Olshanskaya continued her hot trend winning the #4 singles flight. The Los Angeles, Calif., native has now won seven straight matches without giving up a single set to open her freshman campaign. Olshanskaya defeated Indiana senior Martina Grimm in the semifinal before topping Kansas States' Hayley McIver in the tournament final.
Fellow freshman Erica Josbena came up just shy of an upset bid over Indiana senior Karie Schlukebir in the first round, before winning two close matches over Iowa's Gloria Okino and Julia Hierl of Louisville to close out the #4 backdraw.
In the #2 singles flight, sophomore Hana Kraftova, last year's Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, fell to eventual tournament champion Marina Chiarelli (LSU) in the first round. Kraftova held her own narrowly falling (6-3, 7-5). Despite the loss however, she increased her intensity to overpower LSU's Jaclyn Leeper and Murray State's Melissa Spencer to win the #2 backdraw.
In the #5 singles flight, junior Lucie Ruskova claimed the backdraw bouncing back after a first round loss to Iowa's Hillary Mintz to win her remaining matches. On the second and third day of the tournament, Ruskova defeated Eastern Michigan's Jessica Loose and then Iowa's Hiede Jansma.
"This was a good tournament for us with a high level of competition for everybody," Head Coach Blake Starkey said. "All of the programs in attendance are well-coached and well-recruited. At this point of the year, we are trying to tweak and see the things we need to work on. We were able to test ourselves against a lot of strong players and were able to learn a few things. Our doubles play was inconsistent and has a ways to go, but we are ahead of where we were last year at the same time."
The Tigers are back in action later this week when they travel to Los Angeles, Calif. for the main draw of the Riviera All-American Championship. The Tigers then head to Salt Lake City, Utah, for the Omni Regional Tournament.
Day Three Results
Hana Kraftova (Mizzou) def. Melissa Spencer (Murray State) 4-6, 6-3, 10-5
Yelena Olshanskaya (Mizzou) def. Hayley McIver (Kansas State) 6-3, 6-1
Lucie Ruskova (Mizzou) def. Hilde Jansma (Iowa) 6-2, 6-1
Erica Josbena (Mizzou) def. Julia Hierl (Louisville) 6-3, 6-7 (6), 10-8
Daysi Espinal (Louisiana State) def. Mary Barry (Mizzou) 6-2, 7-5
Day Two Results
SINGLES
Maria Rosenberg (Kansas State) def. Katka Sevcikova (Mizzou), 7-6 (2)
Hana Kraftova (Mizzou) def. Jaclyn Leeper (Louisiana State) 3-6, 7-5, 10-4
Yelena Olshanskaya (Mizzou) def. Martina Grimm (Indiana) 6-4, 6-3
Erica Josbena (Mizzou) def. Gloria Okino (Iowa)6-2,4-6, 1-0
Mary Barry (Mizzou) def. Kelly Taylor (Louisville) 6-1, 6-3
Lucie Ruskova (Mizzou) def. Jessica Loose (Eastern Michigan) 6-2, 7-5, 10-5
DOUBLES
Ruskova/Kraftova (Mizzou) def. Eber/Laskowski (Indiana) 9-7
Ruskova/Crull (Mizzou) def. Hierl/Mekus (Louisville) 8-4
Barry/Josbena (Mizzou) def. Mang/Chiarelli (Louisiana State) 8-6
#12 Schlukebir/Tran (Indiana) def. Barry/Josbena (Mizzou) 8-2
Vastag/McGaffigan (Indiana) def. Olshanskaya/Kraftova (Mizzou) 8-2
Walterova/Grimm (Indiana) def. Olshanskaya/Kraftova (Mizzou) 8-2
Day One Results
SINGLES
Yelena Olshanskaya (Mizzou) def. Jennifer Ward (Murray State) 6-4, 6-4
Victoria Domina (Eastern Michigan) def. Katka Sevcikova (Mizzou) 7-5, 6-4
Mariana Chiarelli (Louisiana State) def. Hana Kraftova (Mizzou) 6-3, 7-5
Karie Schlukebir (Indiana) def. Erica Josbena (Mizzou) 7-5, 7-5
Hillary Mintz (Iowa) def. Mary Barry (Mizzou) 6-2, 6-2
Cecile Perton (Indiana) def. Lucie Ruskova (Mizzou) 6-2, 6-2
DOUBLES
Barry/Josbena (Mizzou) def. Okino/Hodgeman (Iowa) 8-3
Ruskova/Crull (Mizzou) def. Hierl/Mekus (Louisville) 8-2
Taylor/Gogol (Louisville) def. Olshanskaya/Kraftova (Mizzou) 8-6
