No. 21 SMU Upends Mizzou, 4-1

Sunday, February 28

Columbia, Mo.

10:00 AM

University of Missouri

SMU

Senior Sofia Ayala earned her third win of the season, and second of the weekend.

2/28/2010 12:00:00 AM | Tennis

Feb. 28, 2010

Columbia, MO - The University of Missouri women's tennis team (3-5) was defeated 4-1 by No. 21 Southern Methodist (12-1) Sunday afternoon at the Green Tennis Center in Columbia, Mo.

Missouri lost the doubles point, dropping matches at both No. 1 and No. 2. Juniors Mallory Weber and Kaitlyn Ritchie pulled ahead to a 3-0 lead over SMU's Marta Lesniak and Edyta Cieplucha, but the Mustangs' skill put them back in position to take an 8-6 win. At No. 2, sophomore Aleksandra Malyarchikova and senior Pavi Francis defeated Mizzou's freshman Andrea Lewis and Kansas City native Kristen Bleakley, 8-6.

At No. 3 doubles, sophomore Jamie Mera and senior Sofia Ayala gave fans something to cheer for. Up 7-6, Ayala held serve, earning an 8-6 victory over SMU's Shahzoda Hatamova and Casey Kennedy. Mera and Ayala improve to 3-2 on the season at No. 3.

Missouri Head Coach Blake Starkey was pleased with the Tigers' doubles performance. "Even though we dropped the doubles point, we played some of our best doubles, and we definitely have something to build on," Starkey said. "We took advantage of the very few opportunities they gave us, and that was really good to see."

Ayala was Missouri's lone winner in singles. The senior improved to 3-1 on the season, with a 2-0 record at No. 6 singles, with her win over Sophie Quest, 6-2, 6-2.

Missouri returns to the court March 6 when the Tigers travel to Iowa to face the Hawkeyes, set to begin at 10 a.m. University of Iowa (6-2) most recently upset No. 44 Princeton, 4-3 in Minneapolis. Iowa leads the series with Missouri 7-2.

Southern Methodist 4, Missouri 1
Green Tennis Center Columbia, Mo.
Feb. 28, 2010
Singles:
1. Marta Lesniak (SMU) def. Jamie Mera (MU) 6-2, 6-4
2. Aleksandra Malyarchikova (SMU) def. Mallory Weber (MU) 6-2, 6-4
3. Kaitlyn Ritchie (MU)/Shahzoda Hatamova (SMU) 2-1, DNF
4. Edyta Cieplucha (SMU) def. Maria Christensen (MU) 6-4, 6-2
5. Andrea Lewis (MU)/Pavi Francis (SMU) 3-1, DNF
6. Sofia Ayala (MU) def. Sophie Quest (SMU) 6-2, 6-2
Order of finish: 1, 6, 4, 2
Doubles:
1. Marta Lesniak/Edyta Cieplucha (SMU) def. Mallory Weber/Kaitlyn Ritchie (MU) 8-6
2. Aleksandra Malyacrchikova/Pavi Francis (SMU) def. Kristen Bleakley/Andrea Lewis (MU) 8-4
3. Sofia Ayala/Jamie Mera (MU) def. Shahzoda Hatamova/Casey Kennedy (SMU) 8-6
Order of finish: 2, 1, 3