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Women's Tennis Tops Northern Iowa, 5-2
April 4, 2008 WATERLOO, Iowa - Senior Katri Miller's victory in the No. 1 singles spot helped the Illinois State women's tennis team earn its third Missouri Valley Conference of the season, on Friday, April 4, in Waterloo, Iowa. The Redbirds beat the Northern Iowa Panthers 5-2 boosting the `Birds to a 9-8 overall season record and 3-1 in the MVC. The Panthers fell to 9-6 on the season and 1-1 in the MVC. "Katri played extremely well," said head coach Chris Hoover. "Katri has faced Meghana Paritala for the last four years and each time we have a game plan, but Katri was never able to fully execute it. Katri came out and executed it beautifully this time. It was a well won match." Miller earned her victory at the No. 1 singles spot against Paritala with a 6-1, 6-4 victory. In the rest of singles play, the Redbirds earned three other victories. Sophomore Julia Zubkova defeated fellow MVC Athlete of the Week, Sampada Kanade, 7-5, 7-6, in flight No. 2. Senior Véronique Parke-Bédard earned her sixth straight victory of the season, as she beat Laia Garrido, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, at the No. 3 spot. This last win of the day came from the No. 5 spot as junior Tanja Hrovatic topped Diana Mendez, 6-1, 6-2. The Redbirds suffered losses at the No. 4 and No. 6 spot as senior Carolyne Parent lost to Taynara Moraes, 7-6, 0-6, 10-4, and freshman Katie O'Riley was bested by Carolina Hannes, 8-6, respectively. In doubles action, the Redbirds swept the Panthers. Parke-Bedard and Miller teamed up to defeat Garrido and Moraes, 8-3, at the No. 1 spot. Parent and Zubkova competed at the No. 2 spot and beat Hannes and Kanade, 8-5, while O'Riley and Hrovatic topped Paritala and Mendez, 8-5, in the No. 3 position.
Hoover is happy with the team and proud of the improvement he sees in them. "Today was a great match," said Hoover. "It seems like we are getting better and better. We are showing up and playing our hardest. There is some stuff that is still hurting us like the losses at the No. 4 and No. 6 spots, but if we continue improving as we have, I really think we will be a hard team to beat." The Redbirds will compete again on Saturday, April 5 against Drake, in Des Moines, Iowa. The first serve is set for 1 p.m. |
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