DES MOINES, IOWA - Picking
up arguably one of its biggest victories in recent program history, the Drake
women's tennis team recorded a come-from-behind 4-3 triumph over Air Force on
Sunday (March 6) at the Roger Knapp Tennis Center.
"That's a huge win for the team," Drake head coach Paul Thomson commented.
"We really only have two healthy players, but this win makes the aches
and pains feel a little better. I
can't tell you how proud I am of these young ladies."
The Falcons entered the match with a 12-3 record and came at the
Bulldogs in doubles play sweeping all three contests to assume a 1-0 lead.
The top of Drake's line-up set the tone in singles as sophomore Manca Krizman (Solkan, Slovenia) and
freshman Klavdija Rebol (Kranj,
Slovenia) registered victories at the Nos. 1 and 2 positions to provide the
Bulldogs a 2-1 lead.
Krizman bested Christen Monreal at No. 1, 6-1, 6-0, while Rebol downed
Tahlia Smoke at No. 2, 6-2, 7-5.
Air Force posted wins at the fourth and fifth position to reclaim the
lead, 3-2.
Junior Jessica Aguilera
(Santa Cruz, Bolivia) came through at No. 3 in three sets, 6-1, 3-6, 6-1, over
Melissa Cecil to square the match at three.
All eyes then focused on court No. 6 where sophomore Ali Patterson (Overland Park, Kan.)
battled Anastasia Hueffner in a contest that came down to a second-set
tiebreaker.
In the tiebreaker, Patterson fended off Hueffner, 7-3, to secure the
triumph for Drake, 6-2, 7-6 (3).
The Bulldogs return to action with a pair of matches next weekend in
Columbia, Mo. Drake faces Minnesota
on Friday (March 11) before playing Missouri on Saturday (March 12). Both tilts are slated to begin at 10:00
a.m.
DRAKE (6-4) DEF. AIR FORCE (12-4),
4-3
MARCH 6, 2011 • ROGER KNAPP TENNIS
CENTER
SINGLES:
No. 1 Manca Krizman (DU) Christen Monreal (AF), 6-1, 6-0
No. 2 Klavdija Rebol (DU) def. Tahlia Smoke (AF), 6-2, 7-5
No. 3 Jessica Aguilera (DU) def. Melissa Cecil (AF), 6-1, 3-6, 6-1
No. 4 Sarah Cassman (AF) def. Jessica Labarte (DU), 6-2, 6-2
No. 5 Hannah Dake (AF) def. Amanda Aragon (DU), 6-1, 6-3
No. 6 Ali Patterson (DU) def. Anastasia Hueffner (AF), 6-2, 7-6 (3)
Order of Finish: 1,2,5,4,3,6
DOUBLES:
No. 1 Cecil/Smoke (AF) def. Aguilera/Krizman (DU), 8-2
No. 2 Hueffner/Monreal (AF) def. Earlynn Lauer/Rebol (DU), 8-6
No. 3 Cassman/Dake (AF) def. Aragon/Labarte (DU), 8-5
Order of Finish: 1,3,2
