April 30, 2010
- 2010 Big Ten Women’s Tennis Tournament
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IOWA CITY, IA – – The 26th-ranked University of Iowa women’s tennis team defeated Indiana in the quarterfinal round of the Big Ten Championships at the Hawkeye Tennis and Recreation Complex Friday, 4-1. Iowa, 17-5 overall, advances to face top-seeded Michigan in Saturday’s semifinal round.
“We are really excited about the win,” said Head Coach Katie Dougherty. “The team continues to improve every week. Michigan is a great team with very good competitors, but we are going to come back tomorrow ready to play.”
The Hawkeyes claimed the match’s doubles point by grabbing a pair of 8-5 wins over the Hoosiers at the No. 1 and No. 3 positions. Senior Kelcie Klockenga and junior Jessica Young got the Hawkeyes rolling with the first doubles win against Charlotte Martin and Katya Zapadalova. The duo posted their 22nd doubles victory to set up teammates Sonja Molnar and Merel Beelen. Molnar and Beelen, the nation’s 15th-ranked doubles team, fought their way to an 8-5 win over Indiana’s Lindsey Stuckey and Evgeniya Verteshaeva to secure the doubles point victory and give Iowa a 1-0 match advantage.
Iowa is now 17-0 when capturing the doubles point.
The Hawkeyes stretched their match lead to 2-0 when Young posted a straight-set victory over Stuckey, 6-3, 6-3, at the No. 4 singles position. The Hoosiers then cut Iowa’s lead in half at the No. 2 position when Leslie Hureau topped Iowa’s Lynne Poggensee-Wei in straight sets, 6-1, 7-5.
Beelen later pushed Iowa’s lead to 3-1 by battling back from an empty second set. After capturing the opening set 6-2, Beelen was blanked in the second frame 6-0. Iowa’s fifth-year senior then regrouped and commanded the third set, 6-2.
Hawkeye junior Alexis Dorr put the final stamp on the tournament victory by battling to a straight-set win over Indiana’s Myriam Sopel. Door ran to a 6-1 victory in the opening frame before battling to 7-6 (7-4) win in the second set to clinch the match and give Iowa a 4-1 quarterfinal victory.
“Alexis came through with a big win in the tiebreaker,” said Dougherty. “She has been coming through with big wins for us all season. We are excited to continue playing tomorrow.”
Iowa has won seven of its last 10 matches against Big Ten opponents. The Black and Gold return to action to face Michigan, ranked fourth nationally, in the semifinals tomorrow at 10 a.m.
#26 Iowa – 4
#42 Indiana – 1
Singles
1. #62 Sonja Molnar (IOWA) vs. Evgeniya Vertesheva (IND) 2-2, unfinished
2. Leslie Hureau (IND) def. Lynne Poggensee-Wei (IOWA) 6-1, 7-5
3. Merel Beelen (IOWA) def. Katya Zapadalova (IND) 6-2, 0-6, 6-2
4. Jessica Young (IOWA) def. Lindsey Stuckey (IND) 6-3, 6-3
5. Kelcie Klockenga (IOWA) vs. Charlotte Martin (IND) 3-3, unfinished
6. Alexis Dorr (IOWA) def. Myriam Sopel (IND) 6-1, 7-6 (7-4)
Doubles
1. #15 Sonja Molnar/Merel Beelen (IOWA) def. #82 Lindsey Stuckey/Evgeniya Vertesheva (IND) 8-5
2. Lynne Poggensee-Wei/Alexis Dorr (IOWA) vs. Leslie Hureau/Myriam Sopel (IND) 6-7, unfinished
3. Jessica Young/Kelcie Klockenga (IOWA) def. Charlotte Martin/Katya Zapadalova (IND) 8-5