LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Drake University women's tennis team dropped its season opener to the Kansas Jayhawks, 7-0, on Monday afternoon at the Jayhawk Tennis Center.

"It was definitely tough starting our season against a strong team like KU," senior captain Maddie Johnson said. "It was important for us to play a tough team like this early on so we can know what we need to work on in order to compete and beat top teams."

Despite already losing the doubles point, sophomore Summer Brills and Johnson stayed on serve with KU's Maria Jose Cardona and Summer Collins until the match was knotted at 5-5. Cardona and Collins managed to earn the first break of the match and held serve to come away with the 7-5 victory.

The Jayhawks kept their momentum from doubles into the singles play with No. 45 Anastasiya Rychagova defeating Mariel Ante, 6-1, 6-2 to secure the match for KU.

"I was proud of the way our team competed but we all still have a lot of room for improvement in each person's game. We have a lot of motivation to work hard in practice to come out on top in the remaining matches this season," Johnson said.

Drake won't return to action until Friday, Jan. 29 when it hosts Nebraska-Omaha and North Dakota for the Bulldogs home opener.

Kansas Jayhawks 7, Drake 0
Jan 18, 2016 at Lawrence, Kan. (Jayhawk Tennis Center) 

Singles competition

1. #45 Anastasiya Rychagova (KU) def. Ante, Mariel (DU) 6-1, 6-2

2. Smith Hinton (KU) def. Brills, Summer (DU) 6-2, 6-2

3. Nina Khmelnitckaia (KU) def. Johnson, Maddie (DU) 6-3, 6-2

4. Janet Koch (KU) def. Herder, Tess (DU) 6-2, 6-1

5. Maria Jose Cardona (KU) def. Jaglarz, Mela (DU) 6-1, 6-1

6. Alexis Czapinski (KU) def. No player (DU), by default

 

Doubles competition

1. Nina Khmelnitckaia/Janet Koch (KU) def. Ante, Mariel/Herder, Tess (DU) 6-3

2. Maria Jose Cardona/Summer Collins (KU) def. Brills, Summer/Johnson, Maddie (DU) 7-5

3. Smith Hinton/Anastasiya Rychagova (KU) def. No player/No player (DU), by default

 

Match Notes

Drake 0-1

Kansas Jayhawks 2-0

Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (6,2,1,3,4,5)