College Park, Maryland – The No. 39 University of Iowa women’s tennis team improved to 11-4 in the conference season with a 5-2 win against Maryland on Sunday afternoon at the Junior Tennis Champions Center. The 11 Big Ten wins is the most in program history.
The Hawkeyes started out the match capturing the doubles point. Vipasha Mehra and Danielle Bauers defeated Maryland’s Zoe Kulkarni and Ebony Sampson, 6-1, at the No. 3 spot, Elise van Heuvelen and Samantha Gillas went undefeated on the weekend after defeating Minorka Miranda and Adela Josefova, 6-4, at the No. 2 spot to clinch the doubles point.
Coming off a win against Rutgers on Friday, The Hawkeyes remained in the zone capturing the first three singles win at the No. 6, 2, and 1 spots to earn the match victory. Vipasha Mehra ended the weekened with a win after defeating Ebony Sampson, 6-2, 6-1, to get things rolling for Iowa. No. 87 Elise van Heuvelen defeated No. 114 Eva Alexandorva, 6-3, 6-2, at the No. 2 spot. The senior is now only one win behind Liz Canzoneri for fourth in career single wins (92).
No. 20 Alexa Noel continued her undefeated season in singles with a 6-1, 6-2 win over No. 30 Ayana Akli at the No. 1 spot, a win that clinched the Hawkeye victory. Her straight-set win puts her at 21-0 on the season, with 19 straight-set wins.
Maryland came away with two singles points at the No. 3 and No. 5 spots. Minorka Miranda defeated Iowa’s Samantha Mannix, 6-4, 6-4, at the No. 3 spot, and Zoe Kilkarni came back to defeat Iowa’s Michelle Bacalla, 0-6, 6-3, 6-4, at the No. 5 spot.
Samantha Gillas went into three sets for the second time this weekend. The junior defeated Adela Josefova, 2-6, 6-0, 6-1 to go undefeated at the No. 4 spot for the weekend.
QUOTING @SASHASCHMID
“It was a good match today. On the road again and I was really pleased to go 2-0 on the weekend out here on the east coast. We are looking forward to getting home and getting ready for our final conference match of the year at Nebraska on Sunday.”
UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes remain on the road traveling to Nebraska for the last regular season match on Sunday at 12 p.m. (CT). Live updates and video streaming is available on Nebraska women’s tennis schedule page.
Iowa 5, Maryland 2
April 11, 2021 | 12 p.m. | College Park, Maryland | Junior Tennis Champions Center
SINGLES
- #20 Alexa Noel (IA) def. #30 Ayana Akli (M): 6-1, 6-2
- #78 Elise van Heuvelen Treadwell (IA) def. #114 Eva Alexandorva (M): 6-3, 6-2
- Minorka Miranda (M) def. Samantha Mannix (IA): 6-4, 6-4
- Samantha Gillas (IA) def. Adela Josefova (M): 2-6, 6-0, 6-1
- Zoe Kilkarni (M) def. Michelle Bacalla (IA): 0-6, 6-3, 6-4,
- Vipasha Mehra (IA) def. Ebony Sampson (M): 6-2, 6-1
DOUBLES
- Noel/Mannix (IA) vs. #78 Akli/Alexandrova (M): unfinished
- Van Heuvelen /Gillas (IA) def. Miranda/Josefova (M): 6-4
- Bauers/Mehra (IA) def. Kulkarni/Sampson (M):6-1Order of Finish: Doubles: (3,2); Singles: (6,2,1,3,4,5)
