University of Missouri
Iowa State
Tigers Take Down Cyclones To Earn Third Conference Win
4/14/2007 12:00:00 AM | Tennis
April 14, 2007
Columbia, Mo. - The University of Missouri women's tennis team (8-10, 3-7 Big 12) defeated conference rival Iowa State, 5-2, Saturday afternoon inside the Green Tennis Center in Columbia.
The Tigers kept Iowa State (5-10, 0-9 Big 12) winless in Big 12 play, beating them for the fifth straight time.
Tiger Head Coach Blake Starkey was pleased with the Tigers' second Big 12 win in a row.
"We played pretty well today; we were without one of our players (Kaitlin Dunham) who has been consistent for us all year. But again, we had a great crowd, and we played well."
Dunham was not in action Saturday, as she went back home because of a death in the family.
But even without Dunham, the Tigers were able to take care of the Cyclones.
Mizzou jumped out to a 1-0 lead by taking the doubles point, as Tiger seniors Erika Josbena and Amanda Pratzel earned their first conference win at the No. 1 spot this season, defeating Kara Hickey and Eve Soriano, 8-4. Josbena and Pratzel began the match down 3-0, but came back to even the score at 3-3. They split the next two games to make it 4-4, and that's when Josbena and Pratzel took over. The Tiger senior duo dominated the next four games to win the match, 8-4.
Starkey shook up the rest of the doubles lineup for Saturday's match. At No. 2, Chrissy Svetlic and Raquel Wagner played their first match of the season together. The combination worked well, as the new duo downed Jill Palen and Caitlin Loprinzi, 8-4.
The Tigers No. 3 team was also a new, as Katelyn McKenzie and Charlotte Bellis paired up to face Chrissy Derouin and Alyssa Palen. The Tiger duo lost, 8-4, but that was after Mizzou had already clinched the doubles point, so momentum was still on the Tigers' side.
The Mizzou players took that momentum into singles action, where they took four of the six matches to clinch the victory.
Svetlic earned her third conference victory of the season, and second conference win in a row Saturday. But more importantly, she won in her first match at the No. 1 spot as a Tiger. Svetlic dominated the first set against ISU's Jill Palen, outplaying her by utilizing her strong first serves and by succeeding in the long points between the two. Palen did not give up after the first set loss, however, and won the second set, 6-4. Svetlic out-hit her opponent in the third set, winning, 6-2, and taking the match. Her win clinched the match for the Tigers. She also helped the Tigers defeat KU last week, as she came back from a set down against the Jayhawks' Kunigunda Dorn to win, 2-6, 7-5, 6-1.
Josbena earned her first Big 12 victory of the year, and her first in five tries at the No. 3 spot, defeating Loprinzi, 7-6 (2), 6-3. The two played a competitive first set, which ended in a tie-break where Josbena took control, winning the tie-break, 7-2, to take the first set. The second set was a little easier for Josbena, and she earned the straight-set victory and a point for the Tigers.
McKenzie improved her overall record to 17-14 by using her dominating serve to down Alyssa Palen, 6-2, 6-2, at the No. 4 singles spot. The win was McKenzie's second Big 12 win of the year.
After the match was decided, the Tigers picked up another victory to give them their fifth point.
At No. 5, Raquel Wagner, fourth in Big 12 wins at the No. 6 spot, proved why today in her win over Danielle Uscinski. Behind strong ground strokes and consistent net play, Wagner broke her opponent early to quickly take the first set 6-1. Her solid play continued into the second set, which she easily took 6-3. Wagner's win gives her a 5-5 Big 12 record on the season.
Bellis lost her match at No. 6, 4-6, 7-6 (4), 10-7.
Match Time With the win this over the Cyclones the Tigers matched last year's total of six wins at home. Mizzou has two more chances to better that record during next week's matches against Wichita State and Texas.
Next Week The Tigers will close out the regular season with a two-match homestand in Columbia next week. Mizzou will play host to the 31st-ranked Wichita State Shockers Thursday, April 19 at 3 p.m. at the Green Tennis Center. Two days later (April 21) the Tigers will try to end the regular season on a high note against Big 12 perennial power, 39th-ranked Texas.
Missouri 5 Iowa State 2 Saturday April 14, 2007 Green Tennis Center Indoor Courts Columbia, Mo.
Doubles
1. Josbena/Pratzel (MU) def. Hickey/Soriano (ISU) 8-4
2. Svetlic/Wagner (MU) def. J. Palen/Loprinzi (ISU) 8-4
3. Derouin/A. Palen (ISU) def. Bellis/McKenzie (MU) 8-4
Singles
1. Chrissy Svetlic (MU) def. Jill Palen (ISU) 6-2, 4-6, 6-2
2. Kara Hickey (ISU) def. Amanda Pratzel (MU) 6-3, 6-2
3. Erika Josbena (MU) def. Caitlin Loprinzi (ISU) 7-6 (2), 6-3
4. Katelyn McKenzie (MU) def. Alyssa Palen (ISU) 6-2, 6-2
5. Raquel Wagner (MU) def. Danielle Uscinski (ISU) 6-1, 6-3
6. Eve Soriano (ISU) def. Charlotte Bellis (MU) 4-6, 7-6 (4), (10-7)
Players Mentioned
