Friday, 04/27/2012

OMAHA, Neb. - The Drake women's tennis team garnered its first postseason victory since 2006 with a 4-1 triumph over Northern Iowa at the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Championship on Friday (April 27).

"This was such a big win for our team and especially the seniors," Bulldog head coach Paul Thomson commented.  "They keep fighting and scrapping.  Today was a great effort, but we still have more work ahead of us."

The Bulldogs staked themselves to an early 1-0 advantage after securing the doubles point on the strength of an 8-1 decision by senior Jessica Aguilera (Santa Cruz, Bolivia) and sophomore Klavdija Rebol (Kranj, Slovenia) over Jessica Kunzelmann and Nina Pfahler at the No. 2 position.

The two sides had split wins at the Nos. 1 and 3 slots before Drake collected the doubles tally.

Senior Gabriela Demos (Chesterfield, Mo.) extended the Bulldogs' lead to 2-0 in singles downing Kunzelmann at No. 3, 6-4, 6-0.

Adding her 31st singles win of the year at the top slot was junior Manca Krizman (Solkan, Slovenia), who bested Pfahler, 6-3, 6-1.

The Panthers cut the Bulldogs' advantage to 3-1 with a triumph by Chelsea Moore over freshman Nell Boyd (Arlington Heights, Ill.) at No. 4, 7-5, 6-3.

Clinching the Bulldogs' first postseason triumph since defeating Missouri State in the quarterfinal round of the State Farm MVC Championship in 2006 was Rebol, who rallied for a 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 win past Cassandra Dix at the No. 2 position.

Drake next faces Illinois State in the semifinals of the State Farm MVC Championship on Saturday (April 28) at 9:00 a.m.

DRAKE (22-6) DEF. NORTHERN IOWA (9-11), 4-1
APRIL 27, 2012 • OMAHA, NEB.

SINGLES:

No. 1 Manca Krizman (DU) def. Nina Pfahler (UNI), 6-3, 6-1
No. 2 Klavdija Rebol (DU) def. Cassandra Dix (UNI), 4-6, 6-3, 6-3
No. 3 Gabriela Demos (DU) def. Jessica Kunzelmann (UNI), 6-4, 6-0
No. 4 Chelsea Moore (UNI) def. Nell Boyd (DU), 7-5, 6-3
No. 5 Jessica Aguilera (DU) led Krissy Lankelma (UNI), 6-3, 3-2 unfinished
No. 6 Stafannia Sampaio (UNI) led Amanda Aragon (DU), 6-4, unfinished

Order of finish: (3,1,4,2)

DOUBLES:

No. 1 Demos/Krizman (DU) def. Dix/Lankelma (UNI), 8-0
No. 2 Aguilera/Rebol (DU) def. Kunzelmann/Pfahler (UNI), 8-1
No. 3 Moore/Sampaio (UNI) def. Aragon/Boyd (DU), 8-1

Order of finish: (1,3,2)