Feb. 16, 2008
IOWA CITY, IA –
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The Iowa Women’s tennis team continued their winning streak today as they held off the Alabama Crimson Tide to claim a 4-3 victory. The Hawkeyes went 3-3 in the singles competition and 2-1 in doubles play, bringing their dual meet doubles record to 8-1.
The Hawkeyes earned the doubles point, winning two of the three doubles matches played. At the number one position, Jacqueline Lee and Alexis Dorr defeated Alabama’s Andrea Brenes and Tiffany Welcher 8-3. Mili Veselinovic and Merel Beelen fell in a hard-fought 8-3 loss to Paulina Bigos and Alice Tunaru at the number two spot, but Iowa secured the doubles point when Kayla Berry and Lynne Poggensee-Wei defeated Bianca Svensson and Merrit Emery 8-5.
In singles action, Iowa faced tough competition from Alabama with four of the six matches going into a third set tiebreaker. Lee, at the number one position, fell to Tiffany Welcher 6-0, 6-2 while Veselinovic defeated Alice Tunaru 6-3, 6-0. Beelen was defeated in an intense match 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 by Paulina Bigos, while Poggensee-Wei earned another singles point for the Hawkeyes with her 6-3, 1-6, 6-4 win over Shelley Godwin. Kelcie Klockenga also fell in a close match 7-5, 1-6, 7-5 to Bianca Svensson but Dorr, at the number four spot, secured the win for Iowa with her 6-2, 6-7, 6-1 victory over Meritt Emery.
“It was a great win for us today. We expected a battle from Alabama and we definitely got it,” said Iowa Head Coach Daryl Greenan. “It almost turned out the same as last year, coming down to three all, last match on and we pulled it off. An encouraging thing about today was that the last two wins came from freshman. Lynne (Poggensee-Wei) and Alexis (Dorr) really stepped up and got it done for us today. Each day we’ve been looking to different people to step up and it’s nice to see the freshman have a chance in such a tight situation. I’ve got to give them a lot of credit for staying tough there.”
Iowa will face Ole Miss tomorrow at the Hawkeye Tennis and Recreation Center. Competition is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m.
Doubles
Lee/Dorr (Iowa) def. Brenes/Welcher (Alabama) 8-3
Bigos/Tunaru (Alabama) def. Veselinovic/Beelen (Iowa) 8-3
Berry/Poggensee-Wei (Iowa) def. Svensson/Emery (Alabama) 8-5
Singles
Tiffany Welcher (Alabama) def. Jacqueline Lee (Iowa) 6-0, 6-2
Mili Veselinovic (Iowa) def. Alice Tunaru (Alabama) 6-3, 6-0
Paulina Bigos (Alabama) def. Merel Beelen (Iowa) 4-6, 6-4, 6-2
Alexis Dorr (Iowa) def. Meritt Emery (Alabama) 6-2, 6-7, 6-1
Bianca Svensson (Alabama) def. Kelcie Klockenga (Iowa) 7-5, 1-6, 7-5
Lynne Poggensee-Wei (Iowa) def. Shelley Godwin (Alabama) 6-3, 1-6, 6-4
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