Sept. 21, 2012

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Mizzou women's tennis team opened their fall season on Friday, Sept. 21 in the first day of the squad's Aces for the Cure Invitational in Kansas City, Mo. The Tigers face off against Princeton, Oklahoma State and Tulsa in the three-day tournament.

Mizzou opened action in doubles Friday morning against Oklahoma State. The No. 1 team of junior Cierra Gaytan-Leach and sophomore Elisha Gabb posted an 8-6 win over Malika Rose and Kanyapat Narattana. At No. 2 action, Cowgirls Meghan Blevins and C.C. Sardinha defeated sophomore Rachel Stuhlmann and Madison Rhyner, 8-6.

Against Tulsa in second round doubles action, Gaytan-Leach and Gabb improved to 2-0 on the day in doubles action as the pair defeated Samantha Vickers and Isaura Enrique, 8-6. Stuhlmann and Rhyner fell to Michelle Farley and Saana Sarteinen, 8-3, at No. 2, while the team of sophomore Alex Clark and senior Maria Christensen lost to Maria Sant' Anna and Renata Kurikova, 8-3, at No. 3.

The Tigers opened singles action against Princeton Friday afternoon and had wins from Gaytan-Leach at No. 2 action and Christensen at No. 4. Gaytan-Leach recorded a 7-5, 3-6, 10-4 win over Amanda Muliawan, while Christensen claimed a 6-1, 7-5 victory over Katie Goepel at No. 4 singles.

Mizzou returns to the court Saturday for day two action. The team faces Princeton in doubles at 9 a.m., Tulsa in doubles at 10:30 a.m. and Oklahoma State in singles at 1:30 p.m.

First Round Doubles

Mizzou vs. Oklahoma State

1. Elisha Gabb/Cierra Gayton-Leach (Missouri) def. Malika Rose/Kanyapat Narattana (OSU) 8-6

2. Meghan Blevins/C.C. Sardinha (OSU) def. Rachel Stuhlmann/Madison Rhyner (Missouri) 8-6

Second Round Doubles

Mizzou vs. Tulsa

1. Elisha Gabb/Cierra Gayton-Leach (Missouri) def. Samantha Vickers/Isaura Enrique (Tulsa) 8-6

2. Michelle Farley/Saana Sarteinen (Tulsa) def. Rachel Stuhlmann/Madison Rhyner (Missouri) 8-3

3. Maria Sant'Anna/Renata Kurikova (Tulsa) def Alex Clark/Maria Christensen (Missouri) 8-3

First Round Singles

Mizzou vs. Princeton

1. Lindsay Graff (Princeton) def. Elisha Gabb (Missouri) 6-3, 6-7 (4), 10-5

2. Cierra Gayton-Leach (Missouri) def. Amanda Muliawan (Princeton) 7-5, 3-6, 10-4

3. Katherine Flanigan (Princeton) def. Rachel Stuhlmann (Missouri) 6-1,6-0

4. Maria Christensen (Missouri) def. Katie Goepel (Princeton) 6-1,7-5

5. Emily Hahn (Princeton) def. Alex Clark (Missouri) 7-6(5), 6-3

6. Monica Chow (Princeton) def. Madison Rhyner (Missouri) 4-6, 6-3, 10-5