Iowa City, Iowa- The University of Northern Iowa women's tennis team continued their struggles on the final day of competition at the Hawkeye Invitational in Iowa City, Iowa, with freshman Diana Mendez (Bogota, Colombia) being the lone Panther to come home with a victory, beating Iowa's Kayla Berry in No. 6 singles 6-4, (4-6), 10-6.
The Panthers started the day losing three hard fought matches in doubles play against Iowa State. Sophomore Sampada Kanade (Mumbai, India) and junior Taynara Moraes (Santos, Brazil) fell in No. 1 doubles 8-6 against Erin Karonis and Chrissy Derouin, while the tandem of senior Meghana Paritala (Secunderabad, India) and freshman Ashton Schwerin (Madison, Wis.) lost 9-7 in No. 2 doubles play to Alyssa Palen and Caitlin Loprinzi. Senior Carolina Hannes (Sao Paulo, Brazil) and freshman Laia Gonzalez-Garrido (Vinaros, Spain) were also unable to get the Panthers a victory, losing to Liza Wischer and Reka Keleman 8-6.
In the singles competition UNI fell in seven of eight matches against No. 51-ranked Iowa. Paritala fell to Iowa's Jacqueline Lee in No. 1 singles 6-2, 6-0, while Kanade was knocked off by Milica Veselinovic 6-2, 6-1. The Hawkeyes' Alexis Dorr topped Gonzalez-Garrido 6-2, 6-1, and Merel Beelen defeated UNI's Moraes 6-3, 6-1. Schwerin lost to Lynne Poggensee-Wei 6-1, 6-4, and Kelcie Klockenga rolled past Hannes 6-0, 6-0. Panther senior Samantha Schnobel (Mississauga, Ontario) was topped by Jennifer Barnes 6-1, 6-3.
The Panthers will return home next weekend to host UMKC on Feb. 2 at 7:00 p.m. at the Black Hawk Tennis Club.
Singles Results:
#1 Jacqueline Lee (Iowa) def. Meghana Paritala (UNI) 6-2, 6-0
#2: Milica Veselinovic (Iowa) def. Sampada Kanade (UNI) 6-2, 6-1
#3: Alexis Dorr (Iowa) def. Laia Gonzalez-Garrido (UNI) 6-2, 6-1
#4: Merel Beelen (Iowa) def. Taynara Moraes (UNI) 6-3, 6-1
#5: Kelcie Klockenga (Iowa) def. Carolina Hannes (UNI) 6-0, 6-0
#6: Diana Mendez (UNI) def. Kayla Berry (Iowa) 6-4 (4-6) 10-6
#7: Lynne Poggensee-Wei (Iowa) def. Ashton Schwerin (UNI) 6-1, 6-4
#8: Jennifer Barnes (Iowa) def. Samantha Schnobel (UNI) 6-1, 6-3
Doubles Results:
#1: Erin Karonis/Chrissy Derouin (Iowa State) def. Sampada Kanade/Taynara Moraes (UNI) 8-6
#2: Alyssa Palen/ Caitlin Loprinzi (Iowa State) def. Meghana Paritala/Ashton Schwerin (UNI) 9-7
#3: Liza Wischer/Reka Keleman (Iowa State) def. Carolina Hannes/Laia Gonzalez-Garrido (UNI) 8-6
