CHICAGO, ILL. - The Drake women's tennis team rallied after dropping the doubles point to take four of six singles contests en route to earning its second victory of the season with a hard-fought 4-3 win over Illinois-Chicago on Sunday (Feb. 11) at the Evergreen Racquet and Fitness Club.

The Bulldogs garnered the decision at the top doubles hole as the duo of sophomore Veronika Leszayova (Povazska Bystrica, Slovak Republic) and sophomore Sarah Plowman (Halifax, Nova Scotia/Canada) bettered Lubica Nadasska and Callan Smith, 8-2. The Flames though answered with a pair of triumphs at the second and third positions to take a 1-0 lead heading into singles competition.

Drake responded to the adversity, registering victories at the Nos. 1, 3, 5 and 6 slots, respectively, to secure the match.

Leszayova doubled her pleasure on the morning as she posted a 6-4, 6-0, win over Nadasska at the top singles hole.

Senior Eveline Rusdianto (Surabaya, Indonesia) then added a 6-2, 6-1, victory versus Ulrikke von Ubisch at No. 3.

The Bulldogs received strong contributions from the bottom of their line-up as both sophomores Kari Sloboth (Omaha, Neb./Burke) and Allison Wilkie (Omaha, Neb./Skutt Catholic) contributed wins to the Drake cause.

After dropping the first set, 6-2, Sloboth rallied to post a 2-6, 6-3, 6-1 three-set triumph over Christina Oum at the No. 5 position. Wilkie provided the Bulldogs with their fourth singles win registering a 6-2, 7-6 decision versus Jenna Reisch at the sixth slot.

Drake travels to battle Missouri on Friday (Feb. 23) in the return of first-year Bulldog head coach Urska Juric to her alma mater. Match time is slated for 3:00 p.m.

Drake def. Illinois-Chicago, 4-3
Feb. 11, 2007
Evergreen Racquet & Fitness Club
Chicago, Ill.
Records: Drake (2-6), UIC (0-5)

Singles
No. 1 Veronika Leszayova (DU) def. Lubica Nadasska (UIC), 6-4, 6-0
No. 2 Callan Smith (UIC) def. Irina Kalashnikova (DU), 6-4, 6-4
No. 3 Eveline Rusidanto (DU) def. Ulrikke von Ubisch (UIC), 6-2, 6-1
No. 4 Grace Gill-Morlis (UIC) def. Zi Wang (DU), 6-1, 7-5
No. 5 Kari Sloboth (DU) def. Christina Oum (UIC), 2-6, 6-3, 6-1
No. 6 Allison Wilkie (DU) def. Jenna Reisch (UIC), 6-2, 7-6

Doubles
1. Leszayova/Plowman, Sarah (DU) def. Nadasska/Smith (UIC), 8-2
2. von Ubisch/Oum (UIC) def. def. Sloboth/Wilkie (DU), 8-5
3. Reisch/Gill-Morlis (UIC) def. Rusidanto/Kalashnikova (DU), 8-6
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