EAST LANSING, Mich. – The 65th-ranked University of Iowa women’s tennis team finished its regular season with a 4-1 win over Michigan State.
The Hawkeyes conclude their regular season with a split 11-11 overall record, going 6-5 in Big Ten competition.
The Spartans captured the doubles point to start the day, posting wins at the first and third spots.
Junior Barbora Pokorna and sophomore Pia Kranholdt led in their matchup against pair Marley Lambert and Natalie Stasnyon on court two, 5-3, but the matchup went unfinished due to Michigan State capturing the point.
In singles competition, the Hawkeyes strung together four straight-set wins to come out on top as a team.
Pokorna notched the first win at the No. 3 position, defeating Issey Purser, 6-3, 6-2. Sophomore Daianne Hayashida downed Liisa Vehvilainen at the top position to follow, 6-2, 6-4.
Junior Nikita Vishwase earned her first singles win of the season, defeating Nicole Conard on court six in a 6-4 pair. Kranholdt finished the job at the No. 4 spot, taking it to seven in both sets over Natalie Stasny, 7-5, 7-5.
HEAR FROM HEAD COACH SASHA SCHMID
“It was a good competitive match today and Michigan State played really well. It was their senior day, and they had a lot of energy and fight, so credit to them. They played very aggressively in the doubles point, so we had to rebound in singles. I was pleased with the way the team competed to get all six first sets and four points on the board for singles. We will now await the Big Ten draw for next week’s tournament, and we are looking forward to seeing our seed and having a good conference tournament in Ann Arbor.”
UP NEXT
Iowa will begin postseason play next week at the Big Ten Championships in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
RESULTS
#65 Iowa 4, Michigan State 1
Singles
1. Daianne Hayashida (UI) def. Liisa Vehvilainen (MSU) 6-2, 6-4
2. Matilde Morais (MSU) vs. Marisa Schmidt (UI) 4-6, 6-2, 0-3, unfinished
3. Barbora Pokorna (UI) def. Issey Purser (MSU) 6-3, 6-2
4. Pia Kranholdt (UI) def. Natalie Stasny (MSU) 7-5, 7-5
5. Ayshe Can (MSUW) vs. Vipasha Mehra (UI) 2-6, 6-4, 2-4, unfinished
6. Nikita Vishwase (UI) def. Nicole Conard (MSU) 6-4, 6-4
Doubles
1. Liisa Vehvilainen/Ayshe Can (MSU) def. #81 DaianneHayashida/Vipasha Mehra (UI) 6-3
2. Marley Lambert/Natalie Stasny (MSU) vs. BarboraPokorna/Pia Kranholdt (UI) 3-5, unfinished
3. Matilde Morais/Nicole Conard (MSU) def. Marisa Schmidt/Nikita Vishwase (UI) 6-3
Order of Completion: Doubles (3,1); Singles (3,1,6,4)
