March 30, 2008

Final Stats

Des Moines, Iowa - The University of Northern Iowa women's tennis team opened Missouri Valley Conference play today with a 4-3 victory on the road over Drake. UNI improves to 9-5 on the season and 1-0 in league play, while Drake falls to 7-10 overall and 1-1 in league play.

 

"This was a great college tennis match, and I was really happy with how we battled," head coach Sachin Kirtane said. "This was a good win on the road for us; hopefully this is the start of a good conference season."

 

The last five meetings between these two squads the final score has been 4-3, with the Panthers winning three of those contests. The Panthers have played in six matches this season with the final score finishing 4-3, with the Panthers winning four of those matches.

 

In doubles play, the Panthers won the doubles point for the first time in its last five matches. Senior Meghana Paritala and junior Taynara Moraes held off Veronika Leszayova and Sarah Plowman, 9-7 in No. 1 doubles, and the freshman duo of Laia Gonzalez-Garrido and Diana Mendez won by default over Daria Zawislak and Adela Aprodu in No. 3 doubles.

 

In singles play, senior Carolina Hannes won her 80th career singles match by default over Aprodu in No. 6 singles, and Kanade won a three-set match over Irina Kalashnikova, 6-3, (3-6), 6-2 in No. 2 singles. Moraes battled back to win a three-set match over Plowman, (3-6), 6-1, 7-5 in No. 4 singles, and Paritala was denied her 83rd career win as a Panther falling, 6-1, (5-7), 7-5 against Lesayova in the No.1 match. Paritala has lost in three-sets in three of her last four matches.

 

The Panthers will return home next week to host three Missouri Valley Conference foes next weekend at the Black Hawk Tennis Club. The Panthers will open up its three match home stand on April 4 against Illinois State at 2 p.m.

 

University of Northern Iowa 4, Drake 3

 

Singles Results:

No. 1 Veronika Leszayova (DU) def. Meghana Paritala (UNI) 6-1, (5-7), 7-5

No. 2 Sampada Kanade (UNI) def. Irina Kalashnikova (DU) 6-3, (3-6), 6-2                         

No. 3 Kari Sloboth (DU) def. Laia Gonzalez-Garrido (UNI) 6-4, 6-1

No. 4.Taynara Moraes (UNI) def. Sarah Plowman (DU) (3-6), 6-1, 7-5

No. 5 Daria Zawislak (DU) def. Diana Mendez (UNI) 6-1, 6-4                    

No. 6 Carolina Hannes (UNI) def. Adela Aprodu (DU) Default  

 

Doubles Results:

No. 1 Moraes/Paritala (UNI) def. Leszayova/Plowman (DU) 9-7

No. 2 Sloboth/Kalashnikova (DU) def. Hannes/Kanade (UNI) 9-7

No. 3 Gonzalez-Garrido/Mendez (UNI) def. Zawislak/Aprodu (DU) Default