MANHATTAN, KAN. - The Drake women's tennis team came up short of registering its first victory of the campaign on Saturday (Jan. 31) as Kansas State overcame a gritty Bulldog effort en route to posting a 6-1 triumph.

The loss dropped Drake to 0-3 on the year, while the Wildcats opened their dual season with the win to move to 1-0.

“We played a good match and I'm very happy with how we played today,” Bulldog head coach Urska Juric commented.  “The final score doesn't reflect how we competed this afternoon.  The pieces of the puzzle are slowing coming together.”

Kansas State jumped to the early advantage as the Wildcats swept all three doubles contests to secure a 1-0 lead.

The duo of senior Veronika Leszayova (Povazska Bystrica, Slovak Republic) and freshman Morgan Rainey (Kansas City, Mo.) nearly recorded a victory at the No. 2 spot as the tandem came up short in the tiebreaker, 7-4, to fall 8-7 (4) versus Mariya Slupska and Antea Huljev.

Freshman Gabby Demos (Chesterfield, Mo.) continued her stellar singles play posting a come-from-behind 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 decision over Slupska at the No. 2 slot.

Fellow freshman Jessica Aguilera (Santa Cruz, Bolivia) nearly registered her first victory of the spring as her tilt with Katerina Kudlackova went three sets before Kudlackova netted a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 victory.

The Bulldogs close out their weekend trip to the Sunflower State on Sunday (Feb. 1) as Drake travels to Lawrence, Kan., for an 11:00 a.m. match with No. 75 Kansas.

SINGLES:
No. 1 Antea Huljev (KSU) def. Veronika Leszayova (DU), 7-6 (4), 6-1
No. 2 Gabby Demos (DU) def. Mariya Slupska (KSU), 5-7, 6-4, 6-3
No. 3 Nina Sertic (KSU) def. Jessica Labarte (DU), 6-3, 6-4
No. 4 Katerina Kudlackova (KSU) def. Jessica Aguilera (DU), 6-4, 4-6, 6-4
No. 5 Petra Chuda (KSU) def. Kari Sloboth (DU), 6-3, 6-3
No. 6 Natasha Vieira (KSU) def. Amanda Aragon (DU), 6-4, 6-4

DOUBLES:
No. 1 Nina Sertic/Katerina Kudlackova (KSU) def. Gabby Demos/ Amanda Aragon (DU), 8-1
No. 2 Mariya Slupska/Antea Huljev (KSU) def. Veronika Leszayova/Morgan Rainey (DU), 8-7 (4)
No. 3 Petra Chuda/Natasha Vieira (KSU) def. Jessica Aguilera/Jessica Labarte (DU), 8-6