May 1, 2010
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IOWA CITY, IA – – The 26th-ranked University of Iowa women’s tennis team fell in the semifinals to No. 4 Michigan Saturday at the Big Ten Women’s Tennis Championships played on the Klotz Outdoor Courts. The Hawkeyes fought fearlessly in doubles action, but could not hold on in singles play allowing Michigan to claim the 4-1 victory.
Senior Kelcie Klockenga and junior Jessica Young posted the first win for Iowa. Playing at the number three doubles against Denise Muresan and Tania Mahtani, Klockenga and Young recorded an 8-5 win to knot the score at 1-1 and set up the finale match. Junior duo Lynne Poggensee-Wei and Alexis Dorr, playing in the number two spot, saved the doubles point for the Hawkeyes putting together an exciting 8-6 win over Mimi Nguyen and Michelle Sulahian in the last match. This is only the second time in Michigan’s 22-3 season that the Wolverines have lost the doubles point.
After losing the doubles point, Michigan rallied to win the first four singles points to claim the match and advance to the championship Sunday at noon. Two matches were unfinished including 62nd-ranked sophomore Sonja Molnar’s potential upset of No. 20 Muresan. Molnar defeated the rattled Michigan opponent, 7-6 with a 7-2 tiebreak score in the first set. The Guelph, Ontario native was ahead in the second set, 3-1, when play was suspended. Young’s match against Rika Tatsuno was also suspended in the second match. Tatsuno claimed the first match, 7-6 (7-3), but was trailing 1-3 in the second.
“We played a great doubles point,” first year Head Coach Katie Dougherty said of her team’s effort. “Michigan has only lost one other doubles point this season to the University of Florida. We came out and battled in singles, they were just a little bit better than we were today. I couldn’t be more proud of where how far we have come this season. We are anxious to find out about our fate in the NCAA Tournament.”
The Hawkeyes have advanced to the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament four of the last six seasons. Today marks the second time in program history a team has advanced to the semifinals in the conference championships under a first year head coach. Iowa concludes the regular season with a 17-6 overall record and will await its post-season fate. The NCAA selection show is Tuesday, May 4th.
#4 Michigan – 4
#26 Iowa – 1
Singles
1. #62 Sonja Molnar (IOWA) v. #20 Denise Muresan (MICHIGAN) 7-6(7-2), 3-1 unfinished
2. Whitney Taney (MICHIGAN) def. Lynne Poggensee-Wei (IOWA) 6-3, 6-2
3. Mimi Nguyen (MICHIGAN) def. Merel Beelen (IOWA) 7-5, 6-2
4. Rika Tatsuno (MICHIGAN) v. Jessica Young (IOWA) 7-6(7-3), 1-3 unfinished
5. Tania Mahtani (MICHIGAN) def. Kelcie Klockenga (IOWA) 6-3, 6-2
6. Michelle Sulahian (MICHIGAN) def. Alexis Dorr (IOWA) 6-2, 6-3
Doubles
1. #23 Whitney Taney/Rika Tatsuno (MICHIGAN) def. #15 Sonja Molnar/Merel Beelen (IOWA) 8-3
2. Lynne Poggensee-Wei/Alexis Dorr (IOWA) def. Mimi Nguyen/Michelle Sulahian (MICHIGAN) 8-6
3. Kelcie Klockenga/Jessica Young (IOWA) def. Denise Muresan/Tania Mahtani (MICHIGAN) 8-5