April 13, 2008

Evansville, Ind. - The UNI women's tennis team rolled past Evansville, 6-1 on the road today and pushed its Missouri Valley Conference record to 4-2 and improved to 12-7 overall on the season. Evansville falls to 1-4 in conference play and 11-9 overall.

 

Senior Carolina Hannes won her 84th career singes match as a Panther cruising past Riette Kotze, 8-3 in No. 6 singles. She is now tied with Nancy Land for the most career singles wins in UNI history. Land has held the top spot by herself since 1985.

 

"This is a tremendous accomplishment for Carolina to tie the all-time singles record," head coach Sachin Kirtane said. "I'm very proud of her and hopefully she and Meghana will be able to break the record soon."

 

Fellow senior Meghana Paritala also had a shot at tying Land's all-time record, but fell to Kate Chybowski in three-sets, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3. Paritala was the lone Panther fall in singles play today.

 

In doubles play, the Panthers won all three doubles matches for the second straight match to win the team double point. Sophomore Sampada Kanade and freshman Diana Mendez led the way in No. 1 doubles holding off Pin Sorensen and Chybowski, 8-6. Junior Taynara Moraes and Paritala teamed up for an 8-3 victory over Lisa Kawamoto and Sara Wilhoite, 8-3, and freshman Laia Gonzalez-Garrido and Hannes completed the Panthers' double sweep with a 9-7 win over Allison Cox and Stephanie Mills.  

 

"We played really well for the second straight day, and I'm very pleased with how we are playing now," Kirtane said.

 

The Panthers will wrap-up its Missouri Valley Conference regular season schedule next weekend at Wichita State and Creighton.

 

 

Northern Iowa 6, Evansville 1

Singles Results:
No. 1  Sampada Kanade (UNI) def. Lisa Kawamoto (UE) 6-2, 4-6, 6-2
No. 2  Kate Chybowski (UE) def. Meghana Paritala (UNI) 4-6, 6-2, 6-3
No. 3  Laia Gonzalez-Garrido (UNI) def. Pin Sorensen (UE) 6-3, 7-6 (8-6)

No. 4  Taynara Moraes (UNI) def. Allison Cox (UE) 6-0, 6-4
No. 5  Diana Mendez (UNI) def. Stephanie Millis (UE) 6-2, 6-2
No. 6  Carolina Hannes (UNI) def. Riette Kotze (UE) 8-3

Doubles Results:
No. 1  Kanade/Mendez (UNI) def. Chybowski/Sorensen (UE)  8-6
No. 2  Paritala/Moraes (UNI) def. Kawamoto/ Wilhoite (UE) 8-3
No. 3  Hannes/Gonzalez-Garrido (UNI) def. Cox/Millis (UE) 9-7