Women's Tennis 4/16/2011 5:50:00 PM Drake Athletics

Bulldogs Turn In Dramatic 5-2 Victory Over Evansville

APRIL 16, 2011

DES MOINES, Iowa - The rebuilding of the Drake women's tennis program continues to be a work in progress, but the Bulldogs took another huge step forward in their progression registering a 5-2 decision past Evansville on Saturday (April 16) at the Roger Knapp Tennis Center.

"Great win for the team today," Drake head coach Paul Thomson commented. "Some of the best doubles we have played to date set the tone. The girls really stepped up for singles and kept it going. We'll feel good about this one for a little while and then get ready for another tough match tomorrow against Southern Illinois."

Drake staked claimed to the early advantage in the affair sweeping the doubles competition with the tandem of sophomore Ali Patterson (Overland Park, Kan.) and freshman Klavdija Rebol (Kranj, Slovenia) clinching the deciding tally with an 8-4 decision over Aleksandra Dzakula and Pin Sorensen at No. 2.

In singles, junior Jessica Aguilera (Santa Cruz, Bolivia) pushed the margin to 2-0 in favor of the Bulldogs after downing Sorensen at No. 4, 6-2, 6-3.

The Purple Aces sliced the lead in half following their triumph at No. 1, with Kate Chybowski bettering sophomore Manca Krizman (Solkan, Slovenia), 6-2, 6-4.

Junior Gabriela Demos (Chesterfield, Mo.) swung the momentum back in favor of Drake, 3-1, collecting a 6-2, 6-2, victory over Dora Kotsiou at No. 2.

Evansville again responded by adding a point on the strength of Jessica Raatz' 6-2, 6-2, triumph against junior Earlynn Lauer (Wichita, Kan.) at the No. 6 slot to make the score 3-2.

The Bulldogs appeared on the verge of clinching the match at No. 3 where Rebol held a 6-5 advantage in the second set against Dzakula. Unfortunately, Dzakula rallied to even the set and win the tiebreaker, 8-6, to force a deciding third frame.

Before the third set could begin junior Amanda Aragon (Fort Collins, Colo.) turned in a critical rally of her own overcoming a 4-1, second-set deficit versus Carolyn Caire, with five unanswered tallies, to clinch the contest for the Bulldogs with a 7-6 (6), 6-4 victory.

Rebol, though, persevered through a back-and-forth third set to claim the decision, 7-5, 6-7 (6), 10-8, against Dzakula.

Drake continues its homestand entertaining Southern Illinois in a 10:00 a.m. contest on Sunday (April 17) at the Roger Knapp Tennis Center.

DRAKE (11-8, 2-2 MVC) DEF. EVANSVILLE (9-6, 2-2 MVC), 5-2

APRIL 16, 2011 • ROGER KNAPP TENNIS CENTER

SINGLES:

No. 1 Kate Chybowski (UE) def. Manca Krizman (DU), 6-2, 6-4

No. 2 Gabriela Demos (DU) def. Dora Kotsiou (UE), 6-2, 6-2

No. 3 Klavdija Rebol (DU) def. Aleksandra Dzakula (UE), 7-5, 6-7 (6), 10-8

No. 4 Jessica Aguilera (DU) def. Pin Sorensen (UE), 6-2, 6-3

No. 5 Amanda Aragon (DU) def. Carolyn Caire (UE), 7-6 (6), 6-4

No. 6 Jessica Raatz (UE) def. Earlynn Lauer (DU), 6-2, 6-2

Order of Finish: 4,1,2,6,5,3