DES MOINES, Iowa – The upset bid for the Drake women's tennis team came up just short as Wichita State, the defending Missouri Valley Conference champions, narrowly escaped the Roger Knapp Tennis Center with a 4-3 decision over the Bulldogs on Sunday (April 7).
The Shockers assumed the early momentum in the affair registering victories at the Nos. 2 and 3 doubles positions to secure the doubles tally and a 1-0 lead.
Wichita State pushed its advantage to 3-0 in singles with triumphs on the Nos. 1 and 3 courts.
Refusing to go down without a fight, the Bulldogs mounted a comeback that began with freshman Maddie Johnson (Onalaska, Wis.) collecting a 6-1, 6-4 win over Montse Blasco Fernandez at No. 4.
The momentum was short-lived as Carla Venticinque gave the Shockers the match-clinching tally with a 6-1, 6-4 victory at the No. 6 position, versus freshman Jordan Eggleston (LaQuinta, Calif.).
Drake closed the match with triumphs at the Nos. 2 and 5 slots courtesy of freshman Evy Van Genechten (Antwerp, Belgium) and sophomore Nell Boyd (Arlington Heights, Ill.) to account for the final 4-3 margin.
Van Genechten bested Lucia Kovalova at No. 2, 6-4, 4-6, 10-5, before Boyd garnered the victory at No. 5 after Satjaporn Mahajaroenkul retired in the second set.
Drake returns to action on Saturday (April 13) hosting Southern Illinois at the Roger Knapp Tennis Center beginning at 1:00 p.m. Senior Ali Patterson (Overland Park, Kan.) will be honored in Senior Day festivities prior to the showdown with the Salukis.
WICHITA STATE (8-10, 3-0 MVC) DEF. DRAKE (9-8, 2-1 MVC), 4-3
APRIL 7, 2013 • ROGER KNAPP TENNIS CENTER
SINGLES:
No. 1 Rebecca Pedrazzi (WSU) def. Klavdija Rebol (DU), 6-2, 6-2
No. 2 Evy Van Genechten (DU) def. Lucia Kovalova (WSU), 6-4, 4-6, 10-5
No. 3 Julia Schiller (WSU) def. Lea Kozulic (DU), 6-3, 6-1
No. 4 Maddie Johnson (DU) def. Montse Blasco Fernandez (WSU), 6-1, 6-4
No. 5 Nell Boyd (DU) def. Satjaporn Mahajaroenkul (WSU), 3-6, 4-3 retired
No. 6 Carla Venticinque (WSU) def. Jordan Eggleston (DU), 6-1, 6-4
Order of finish: 1,3,4,6,2,5
DOUBLES:
No. 1 Eggleston/Rebol (DU) def. Blaskova/Kovalova (WSU), 8-6
No. 2 Pedrazzi/Venticinque (WSU) def. Johnson/Kozulic (DU), 8-1
No. 3 Fernandez/Mahajaroenkul (WSU) def. Mariel Ante/Ali Patterson (DU), 8-3
Order of finish: 2,3,1
