Feb. 24, 2008

Des Moines, Iowa - The University of Missouri women's tennis team (8-2/0-0 Big 12) defeated the Drake Bulldogs (2-4/0-0 Missouri Valley), 7-0, Sunday on the campus of Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. The win gives the Tigers an 8-2 start, their best ten match start since the 2005 season, when they won eight of ten and 12 of their first 14.

Mizzou won the No. 2 and No. 3 doubles matches to take the doubles point. At No. 2, the Tiger duo of Sofia Ayala and Kaitlin Dunham took care of Adela Aprodu and Kari Sloboth, 8-1. And at No. 3, Jessica Giuggioli and Kaitlyn Ritchie defeated Irina Kalashnikova and Daria Zawislak, 8-3. Veronika Leszayova and Sarah Plowman defeated Mizzou's No. 1 duo of Chrissy Svetlic and Mallory Weber, 8-3.

The Tigers won all six singles matches on the day to earn their third shutout of the season. Weber defeated Leszayova in the No. 1 singles match, 6-4, 6-2, to earn her sixth win of the spring.

In the No. 2 singles match, Giuggioli defeated Kalashnikova, 6-4, 6-3, to earn her sixth win of the spring.

Svetlic earned her ninth singles victory in a row Sunday, taking a 6-3, 2-6, 10-7, win at No. 3 singles.

Dunham won her match at No. 4 by default, and Ayala and Modesto took straight-set victories at Nos. 5 and 6, respectively.

Up next, the Tigers will face off against Minnesota inside the Baseline Tennis Center Friday (Feb. 29) at 6 pm, before playing at Wisconsin Sunday (March 2) at 11 am.

Missouri 7 Drake 0

Sunday, Feb. 24

Des Moines, Iowa

Singles

No. 1 Mallory Weber (MIZZOU) def. Veronika Leszayova (DU), 6-4, 6-2

No. 2 Jessica Giuggioli (MIZZOU) def Irina Kalashnikova (DU), 6-4, 6-3

No. 3 Chrissy Svetlic (MIZZOU) def. Adela Aprodu (DU), 6-3, 2-6, 10-7

No. 4 Kaitlin Dunham (MIZZOU) def. Kari Sloboth (DU), 3-0 Default

No. 5 Sofia Ayala (MIZZOU) def. Sarah Plowman (DU), 6-4, 6-2

No. 6 Maureen Modesto (MIZZOU) def. Daria Zawislak (DU), 6-1, 6-2

Doubles

No. 1 Leszayova/Plowman (DU) def. Svetlic/Weber (MIZZOU), 8-3

No. 2 Dunham/Ayala (MIZZOU) def. Aprodu/Sloboth (DU), 8-1

No. 3 Giuggioli/Kaitlyn Ritchie (MIZZOU) def. Kalashnikova/Zawislak (DU), 8-3