Oct. 5, 2008

 

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Columbia, Mo. - Another beautiful Missouri day and more beautiful Tiger success. In the third and final day of the first inaugural "Ace for a Cure" tournament Jessica Giuggioli and Maureen Modesto fought down competitors from Louisville and Illinois, respectively, to earn top honors in their singles brackets. The third day of play began Sunday (Oct. 5) morning at 10 a.m. in the Green Tennis Center. Play included the final round of singles competition.

A slight breeze helped cool down three Tigers who began the morning playing in their individual championship matches. Missouri was the only team with one player in each of the three singles finals. The Pink, Gold and Black 3 singles bracket champion was decided first, between Modesto and Illinois' Christine Stromberg. After two quick sets Modesto defeated Stromberg, 6-4, 6-1 and claimed first place in the singles bracket 3. In the Pink, Black and Gold 2 singles bracket Sofia Ayala battled Shivani Dave` from Illinois. Ayala jumped out to a 5-4 lead, but Dave` came back to take the set 7-5, and the match with a second set win, 6-0.

The best match of the day featured Missouri's senior Giuggioli who competed for first place in the Pink, Gold and Black 1 singles bracket against Jo-Ann Van Aerde of Louisville. Van Aerde had already defeated Kaitlyn Ritchie on Friday (Oct. 3) and Jamie Mera on Saturday (Oct. 4). The Cardinal easily won the first set 6-1. Giuggioli battled back to take a 6-3 victory in the second set. The third and tie-breaking set went back and fourth as the players finished their third hour of play. At the end of the third set Van Aerde returned one of Giuggioli's laser-like shots out of bounds and Giuggioli breathed a sigh of relief. After three hours and fifteen minutes of play Giuggioli was named champion of the Pink, Black and Gold 1 singles bracket defeating Van Aerde 1-6, 6-3, (7-5).

"I am very proud of what the girls did this entire weekend," said coach Blake Starkey. "We played some really tough competition and really held our own. Giuggioli fought so hard today. She really battled back and never gave up. That was a hard-fought and impressive win."

Sunday concluded the first inaugural "Ace for a Cure" tournament. All t-shirt sales and donations will go directly to the Susan B. Komen cancer research fund.

The Tigers will be in action next on Friday, Oct. 17, through Sunday, Oct. 19, for the New Mexico Invitational in Albuquerque, N.M.