April 21, 2007

Columbia, Mo. - The University of Missouri women's tennis team (8-12, 3-8 Big 12) lost to No. 41 Texas, 7-0, on Senior Day Saturday afternoon on the Green Tennis Center's outdoor courts.

Texas improves to 9-1 in the Big 12 and 12-8 overall. If they win tomorrow at Kansas State, they will share the Big 12 regular season title with Baylor.

"They're just Texas, they are awfully good, but there were some positives, I think No. 1 doubles was definitely a bright spot." After Texas won the doubles point by winning the No. 2 and No. 3 matches, Chrissy Svetlic and Raquel Wagner were in a tight match against UT's top duo Vanja Corovic and Marija Milic, who just beat Texas A&M's 28th-ranked duo Tiffany Clifford and Sarah Foster last Wednesday.

But Corovic and Milic would not escape Columbia with a win, as Svetlic and Wagner pulled it out in a tiebreak.

Each player held serve in the first four games of the No. 1 doubles match, but in the fifth game the Tigers took advantage of Corovic's double fault and the Texas duo's two unforced errors to take a 3-2 lead. UT then broke Svetlic's serve, and held serve on Milic's turn, to take a 4-3 lead. The two teams battled to a 7-7 tie, and because the doubles point had been decided, they played a seven-point tiebreak for the match.

In the tiebreak, Mizzou jumped out to a 3-0 lead behind Wagner's great net play and dominating serves. The teams split the next six games, and UT won the next, to cut Mizzou's lead to 6-4. The Tigers won the next point, however, and took the match, 8-7 (4).

That was MU's only bright spot of the day, however, as they lost each of the six singles matches.

At No. 1, 51st-ranked Corovic won her eighth match in her last nine by defeating Svetlic, 6-2, 6-4. Stephanie Davison took care of Pratzel at No. 2, 6-1, 6-0, in Pratzel's last home match as a Tiger. Senior Erika Josbena's match was also her last at the Green Tennis Center; she fell to No. 109 Courtney Zauft, 6-2, 6-2, at No. 3 singles. Wagner lost at No. 4, 6-1, 6-1, to UT's Ristine Olson.

Katelyn McKenzie and Charlotte Bellis lost their matches at No. 5 and 6, respectively. The match was also Bellis' last as a Tiger at the GTC.

Big 12 Championships The Tigers will now start preparing for the 11th annual Big 12 Championships, which begin Thursday at the Plaza Tennis Center in Kansas City, Mo. MUTigers.com will preview Mizzou's opening match once the bracket is released. For live results of all matches in the Championships, please visit the official results page: http://kuathletics.cstv.com/sports/w-tennis/spec-rel/032707aaq.html

For more information on the Big 12 Championships, including ticket information, please visit the home page of the Championships: http://www.big12sports.com/sports/c-tennis/spec-rel/big12-tennis-championship.html

Senior Features For feature stories on Mizzou's three graduating players, please visit MUTigers.com

(41) Texas 7 Missouri 0

Saturday, April 21, 2007 Noon

Green Tennis Center Outdoor Courts

Columbia, Mo.

Temp at Noon: 73*

*Senior Day for Erika Josbena, Amanda Pratzel and Charlotte Bellis

Doubles

1. Svetlic/Wagner (MU) def. Corovic/Marija Milic (UT) 8-7 (4)

2. Zauft/Olson (UT) def. Josbena/Pratzel (MU) 8-2

3. Davison/Pringle (UT) def. McKenzie/Bellis (MU) 8-3

Order of Finish: 2, 3, 1

Singles

1. (51) Vanja Corovic (UT) def. Chrissy Svetlic (MU) 6-2, 6-0

2. Stephanie Davison (UT) def. Amanda Pratzel (MU) 6-1, 6-0

3. (109) Courtney Zauft (UT) def. Erika Josbena (MU) 6-2, 6-2

4. Ristine Olson (UT) def. Raquel Wagner (MU) 6-1, 6-1

5. Sarah Lancaster (UT) def. Katelyn McKenzie (MU) 6-0, 6-4

6. Jane Pringle (UT) def. Charlotte Bellis (MU) 6-1, 6-1

Order of finish: 2, 4, 3, 1, 6, 5 Note: No. 5 and No. 6 singles started after No. 2 and No. 4 finished