University of Missouri
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Kansas
Tigers Advance After Win Over Kansas
4/23/2009 12:00:00 AM | Tennis
April 23, 2009
Columbia, Mo. – The Tigers (9-11, 4-7 Big 12) won the doubles point and quickly picked up three singles matches to secure their first post-season victory since 2005, 4-1, over the Kansas Jayhawks (10-13, 4-7 Big 12). Play was held in Norman, Okla., at the Headington Family Tennis Center. The dual match between No. 8 seeded Missouri and No. 9 Kansas began at 10:00 a.m. with a round of doubles play followed by singles competition.
Sofia Ayala and Danielle Day led the way for Mizzou in doubles coming up with the first win at No. 3 over Kunigunda Dorn and Yuliana Svistun. The 8-2 victory marked the pair's ninth of the spring against Big 12 opponents, a team-best. With Ekaterina Morozova and Edina Horvath's win over Missouri's No. 1 duo of Mallory Weber and Jamie Mera, 8-2, the doubles point would be decided by the winner at No. 2. Senior Jessica Giuggioli and partner Kaitlyn Ritchie earned an 8-6 victory over Jayhawks Maria Martinez and Erin Wilbert, and the Tigers picked up the doubles point.
With a 1-0 lead Mizzou only needed three singles victories to claim their first post-season win in four years. Day kicked things off for the Tigers easily taking down her opponent at No. 5, Martinez. In two sets the freshman quickly carded her 14th win this spring, 6-2, 6-1, and gave Mizzou a 2-0 advantage.
Kansas earned their lone victory at No. 1 before the Tigers snagged two more singles wins and the match. Ritchie was next to finish with a 6-4, 6-4 defeat of Dorn at the No. 4 position.
Weber, who clinched the match-winning point in Lawrence, Kan., when the Tigers faced the Jayhawks earlier this spring, again sealed the win for Mizzou at No. 3. After winning a tight first match 7-6, Weber went on to take a 6-4 second-set victory over Svistun to earn Missouri's second win over Kansas this year.
“We were really pumped to get out here and play our biggest rival in Kansas,” said sophomore Weber. “For us to go out there and win 4-1 was a big accomplishment and we're really happy that happened.”
“I thought both teams battled really hard. You always get that with Missouri and Kansas, so they really brought it after us hard,” said coach Blake Starkey. “We were very fortunate to get the doubles point and then, going into singles, I thought our team really stepped up. We've had a couple tough losses lately, so this is a great way to start. Tomorrow, we've got Baylor and that's going to be a challenge for us. But, today, we're very happy with what everyone just did.”
The Tigers will be back in action tomorrow when they face No. 1 seeded Baylor University at 9:00 a.m. Competition will be held at the Headington Family Tennis Center in Norman, Okla.
Final Team Score: Missouri 4, Kansas 1
Complete Singles Results
No. 1 Edina Horvath (KU) def. Jessica Giuggioli (MIZ) 7-5, 6-2
No. 2 Jamie Mera (MIZ) vs. Katerina Morozova (KU) 6-3, 4-6, DNF
No. 3 Mallory Weber (MIZ) def. Yuliana Svistun (KU) 7-6, 6-4
No. 4 Kaitlyn Ritchie (MIZ) def. Kunigunda Dorn (KU) 6-4, 6-4
No. 5 Danielle Day (MIZ) def. Maria Martinez (KU) 6-2, 6-1
No. 6 Sofia Ayala (MIZ) vs. Erin Wilbert (KU) 1-6, 6-4, DNF
Complete Doubles Results
No. 1 Horvath/Morozova (KU) def. Mera/Weber (MIZ) 8-2
No. 2 Giuggioli/Ritchie (MIZ) def. Martinez/Wilbert (KU) 8-6
No. 3 Day/Ayala (MIZ) def. Svistun/Dorn (KU) 8-2
Players Mentioned
