Feb. 22, 2012
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THIS WEEK
The University of Iowa women’s tennis team faces Northern Iowa on Saturday. The Hawkeyes (3-2) and Panthers (6-2) square off at noon (CT) at the Hawkeye Tennis and Recreation Complex. Live scoring will be available on the women’s tennis schedule page at hawkeyesports.com.
QUOTING HEAD COACH Katie Dougherty
“We got a lot out of last weekend and grew as a team. We are looking to getting back on track Saturday against a good UNI team.”
HOME COURT ADVANTAGE
The Hawkeyes are 3-0 at the Hawkeye Tennis and Recreation Complex in dual matches this season. Iowa scored victories against Illinois State (7-0), Illinois Chicago (6-1) and Iowa State (4-3). The Hawkeyes last opened a season 3-0 at home in 2007-08, when they won their first six home duals. Iowa topped Marquette (5-2), DePaul (4-3), Alabama (4-3), Mississippi (5-2), Missouri (6-1) and Northern Illinois (7-0) that season. The Hawkeye are 14-7 at home under Dougherty.
HAWKEYES VS. PANTHERS
The Hawkeyes are 6-0 all-time against Northern Iowa. Iowa defeated the Panthers last season, 6-1, on Jan. 22 in Cedar Falls. Current Hawkeyes Sonja Molnar and Christina Harazin both competed, as Molnar beat current UNI student-assistant Laia Gonzalez-Garrido at the No. 1 spot, 6-7, 6-4 (10-6). Harazin won a 6-0, 6-0 decision at the No. 6 position. Iowa swept the doubles matches.
ONE AWAY FROM NO. 90
A singles victory against Northern Iowa would be the 90th singles victory of Sonja Molnar’s career. Molnar is 11 wins away from becoming the third member of the program’s 100-career wins club. Milica Veselnovic (113 wins) and Laura Dvorak (102 wins) are the other two members.
SMOKIN’ HOT START
Senior Sonja Molnar improved to 5-0 in dual play with wins at the No. 1 position against Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. Molnar defeated Oklahoma’s Marie-Pier Huet on Feb. 18 and Oklahoma State’s C.C. Sardinha on Feb. 19. Four of her five wins this dual season have been straight-set decisions. Molnar, a three-time unanimous All-Big Ten selection, is 5-0 for the first time in her career. Her previous best was a 2-0 start as a freshman in 2009.
THREE DUOS WITH 3 WINS
Three doubles duos are tied for a team-best three wins. Freshmen Ellen Silver and Katie Zordani are 3-0 at the No. 3 spot. Sophomore Christina Harazin and freshman Morven McCulloch have posted a 3-1 mark at the No. 2 position. Senior Sonja Molnar and freshman Shelby Talcott are 3-2 at the top spot.
ITA RANKS MOLNAR
Senior Sonja Molnar was ranked No. 109 by the ITA on Feb. 16. Molnar was one of 13 Big Ten athletes to appear in the poll.
IOWA PLAYS FIRST RANKED OPPONENT
The Hawkeyes played their first ranked opponent of the season when they faced Oklahoma on Feb. 18. The Sooners, ranked No. 32 by the ITA at the time, won 5-2. Thirteen of the Hawkeyes 17 remaining opponents were ranked in the ITA’s 125-team poll on Feb. 22. Northwestern (9), Michigan (11), Tulsa (19) and Norte Dame (23) were all included in the top 25.