April 11, 2010
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IOWA CITY, IA – The University of Iowa women’s tennis team, ranked 22nd nationally, topped Indiana Saturday at the Hawkeye Tennis and Recreation Complex, 4-3. The Hawkeyes move to 4-3 in the conference and 14-4 overall.
“We’re very happy,” said Head Coach Katie Dougherty. “This is a good win over a very good Indiana team.”
Iowa won the doubles point behind a dramatic come-from-behind effort from its No. 1 team. Fifteenth-ranked Sonja Molnar and Merel Beelen strung together four straight points to rally from a 6-4 deficit and clinch the team point with an 8-4 victory. Indiana struck first in doubles action by posting an 8-3 doubles win over Jessica Young and Kelcie Klockenga. The Hawkeyes then evened the doubles’ score when Lynne Poggensee-Wei and Alexis Dorr stole the second match, 8-4, to set up Molnar and Beelen’s comeback performance.
“We rebounded well from yesterday,” said Dougherty. “Our doubles came out strong and set the tone for the day. We knew Indiana would be tough and we did a good job at one, four, and five (singles) of imposing our game.”
Iowa stormed to a 2-0 lead behind No. 55 Molnar’s straight-set victory over Leslie Hureau, 6-1, 6-1. Klockenga followed Molnar’s lead with a straight-set win over Lindsey Stuckey, 6-2, 6-3, to give the Hawkeyes a 3-0 lead in the team score.
The Hoosiers then got on the board with Evgeniya Verteshev’s straight-win, 6-4, 7-5, over Poggensee-Wei to pull Indiana within two, 3-1. The Hoosiers continued to rally and closed in on Iowa’s lead when Charlotte Martin rallied from one set down to top Dorr, 2-6, 6-4, 6-0.
With Iowa clinging to a 3-2 advantage, Young pushed through a dramatic third set to defeat Myriam Sopel, 6-1, 5-7, 6-3, and seal the victory for Iowa. Indiana’s Katya Zapadalova rallied from a set down to defeat Beelen, 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 in the day’s final match.
The Hawkeyes return to action next weekend with trips to Northwestern and Wisconsin. Iowa faces the Wildcats Saturday at 11 a.m. before closing the road portion of the Big Ten schedule with Sunday’s 11 a.m. contest with the Badgers.
Singles Competition
1. #55 Sonja Molnar (Iowa) def. Leslie Hureau (Indiana) 6-1, 6-1
2. Evgeniya Vertesheva (Indiana) def. Lynne Poggensee-Wei (Iowa) 6-4, 7-5
3. Katya Zapadalova (Indiana) def. Merel Beelen (Iowa) 5-7, 6-3, 6-2
4. Jessica Young (Iowa) def. Myriam Sopel (Indiana) 6-1, 5-7, 6-3
5. Kelcie Klockenga (Iowa) def. Lindsey Stuckey (Indiana) 6-2, 6-3
6. Charlotte Martin (Indiana) def. Alexis Dorr (Iowa) 2-6, 6-4, 6-0
Exhibition: Ally Majercik (Iowa) def. Maria Guerreiro (Indiana) 7-5, 6-2
Doubles Competition
1. #15 Molnar/Beelen (Iowa) def. Hureau/Stuckey (Indiana) 8-6
2. Poggensee-Wei/Dorr (Iowa) def. Martin/Zapadalova (Indiana) 8-4
3. Sopel/Vertesheva (Indiana) def. Klockenga/Young (Iowa) 8-3