Flames Overcome Bulldogs In 4-3 Women's Tennis Decision

DES MOINES, IOWA - The first victory of the campaign was within reach but the Drake women's tennis team was unable to capitalize on opportunity as UIC escaped the Roger Knapp Tennis Center with a 4-3 victory on Sunday (Feb. 7).

With the sides splitting the first two doubles tilts, the point came down to the No. 1 court where the Flames' duo of Mariya Kovaleva and Kristen McPhillips overcame a 7-5 deficit to upend the Bulldog tandem of sophomore Gabriela Demos (Chesterfield, Mo.) and freshman Manca Krizman (Solkan, Slovenia), 9-7.

The lead swelled to 3-1 for UIC before Drake squared the contest with triumphs from freshman Ali Patterson (Overland Park, Kan.) and Krizman.

Krizman bested Illinca Cristescu at No. 2, 7-5, 6-3, while Patterson bettered Zlatka Petrova at No. 3, 6-1, 6-4.

The deciding contest came down to the dual on the No. 4 court where McPhillips posted a 6-3, 6-3 decision against sophomore Jessica Aguilera (Santa Cruz, Bolivia).

Garnering her first victory of the dual season at No. 5 was junior Jessica Labarte (Barcelona, Venezuela), who netted a 6-2, 6-2 triumph over Elena Antakova.

The Bulldogs now hit the road for a pair of matches next weekend in Lincoln, Neb. Drake will tangle with Nebraska on Saturday (Feb. 13) before playing Air Force on Sunday (Feb. 14). Match times are slated for 3:00 p.m. against the Huskers and 10:00 a.m. versus the Falcons.

UIC (4-2) DEF. DRAKE (0-4), 4-3

FEB. 7, 2010 • ROGER KNAPP TENNIS CENTER (DES MOINES, IOWA)

SINGLES:

No. 1 Mariya Kovaleva (UIC) def. Gabriela Demos (DU), 6-2, 6-1

No. 2 Manca Krizman (DU) def. Ilinca Cristescu (UIC), 7-5, 6-3

No. 3 Ali Patterson (DU) def. Zlatka Petrova (UIC), 6-1, 6-4

No. 4 Kristen McPhillips (UIC) def. Jessica Aguilera (DU), 6-3, 6-3

No. 5 Jessica Labarte (DU) def. Elena Antakova (UIC), 6-2, 6-2

No. 6 Amy Jellish (UIC) def. Earlynn Lauer (DU), 6-2, 6-0

Order of finish (1,5,6,3,2,4)

DOUBLES:

No. 1 Kovaleva/McPhillips (UIC) def. Demos/Krizman (DU), 9-7