DES MOINES, Iowa – The Drake University women's tennis team had a pair of doubles teams and three individuals advance to the semifinals of their respective draws on the first day of the Drake Invitational at the Roger Knapp Tennis Center on Friday, Sept. 14.
 
Doubles action in the morning started the day for the Bulldogs. Kenya Williams and Kelsey Neville (Drake) beat Upper Iowa's Zhanatova/Badenhorst 8-1 and Carmen Palumbo and Daria Walczak defeated Omaha's, Absisan/Wilson 8-6 in Flight A. Sophia Haleas and Megan Webb retired due to an injury in their match versus Augustana's Jackson/Teske in Flight B.
 
In afternoon singles play, Haleas won 6-4, 6-4 over South Dakota's Kmoskova and Palumbo won 6-3, 6-4 over Missouri Western State's Strom in Flight A. Williams cruised past Creighton's Higueras 6-0, 6-0 and Walczak moved past Augustana's Goble 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 in Flight B. Those three advanced to play in Saturday semifinals matches.
 
The Bulldogs will play the second day of the Drake Invitational on Saturday, starting at 9 a.m.