The Upper Iowa University women's tennis team claimed a win in their first dual since flipping the calendar to 2022, winning 4-3 over NSIC opponent Minnesota State University Moorhead. The Peacocks won the doubles point to open the dual, and that point proved to be the difference as wins at No. 1, 2, and 3 singles propelled UIU to a 3-2 (1-0 NSIC) record. The Dragons fall to 0-2 (0-2 NSIC) with the loss.
RECAP... Upper Iowa put the first point on the board with a 2-1 win in the best-of-three doubles competition.
Varvara Ogorodnikova and
Lina Ziani rushed out to a 3-0 lead before MSUM responded by winning three consecutive games, but the No. 2 doubles duo regained control for a 6-3 win.
Charalampia Grammatikaki and
Jessa Michieli faced a 2-1 deficit at No. 1 doubles, but the pair won four straight games before clinching the doubles point with a 6-3 victory.
Padmasree Murugan and
Elaina Wall battled back from a 4-1 deficit to with wins in back-to-back sets, but the No. 3 pairing fell 6-3.
The doubles points would prove to be the difference for UIU as they split the singles matches with MSUM. Grammatikaki, Michieli, and Ogorodnikova won their No. 1, 2, and 3 singles matches, respectively, but the Dragons picked up wins in No. 4, 5, and 6 singles. Grammatikaki and Ogorodnikova secured comfortable wins in straight sets, setting the tone for the Peacocks and pulling them within one point of clinching the dual. Ziani lost her match at No. 4 singles after a close first set, but her opponent took control during the second set to put the Dragons on the board, 3-1. Michieli's No. 2 singles match was the next to finish, and the Peacocks clinched the dual after the exciting, back-and-forth contest. Michieli won the first set 6-1, but her MSUM opponent responded with a 6-0 win in set two to turn the tide. In the tiebreaker, Michieli got back to her winning ways with a dominant 7-1 performance in the tiebreak after a competitive 7-6 set, clinching the team win for Upper Iowa.
Murugan and Wall were unable to add to the UIU lead as they endured heartbreakers in a pair of close singles matches. Both Peacocks won their first singles sets, but each of them fell in tie-breaking third-sets to the Dragons to round out the dual with a 4-3 UIU win.
COACH'S QUOTE... "We picked up a fantastic win today against a very solid MSU Moorhead team. We played well in doubles as we were able to adjust and stay aggressive when it was needed even after a few up-and-down games.
In singles, we lost our 4-5-6 matches, but each of them were extremely competitive with two of them going into a third set. Our top three players were able to pick up great wins and helped us clinch the team victory.
Charalampia (Grammatikaki) and
Varvara Ogorodnikova won comfortably in their respective single matches. Jessa (Michieli), our No. 2 player, clinched the contest by winning a tremendous back-and-forth match that finished with a tiebreaker in the third set. Her match was definitely a nail-bitter, but Jessa showed tremendous mental strength today during her match.
Overall, I am extremely proud of this team for the fight and belief in themselves they showed today. Our ability to adjust and handle the tough moments well made the difference. No matter the situation we were in, we always fought back, adjusted well, and believed in our skills. This victory was not given but earned by everybody on this team. It is only the start of a long season, but we are looking forward to continuing to develop our skills and grow as a team! Go Peacocks!" - Head Coach, Léo Millet
UP NEXT... The Peacocks return to action on Sunday, Feb. 6, for an NSIC dual against the University of Mary at 9 a.m. in Winona, Minn.
RESULTS...
Upper Iowa 4, MSU Moorhead 3
Singles competition
1. Grammatikaki, Charalampia [UIU] def. Andersen, Emma [MSUM] 6-0, 6-3
2. Michieli, Jessa [UIU] def. Griechen, Mikaela [MSUM] 6-1, 0-6, 7-6 (7-1)
3. Ogorodnikova, Varvara [UIU] def. Griechen, Miranda [MSUM] 6-2, 6-1
4. Dykema, Tia [MSUM] def. Ziani, Lina [UIU] 6-4, 6-1
5. Bell, Madison [MSUM] def. Murugan, Padmasree [UIU] 6-7 (8-6), 6-4, 1-0 (10-4)
6. Reichmann, Greta [MSUM] def. Wall, Elaina [UIU] 3-6, 7-5, 6-3
Doubles competition
1. Grammatikaki, Charalampia / Michieli, Jessa [UIU] def. Andersen, Emma / Griechen, Miranda [MSUM] 6-3
2. Ogorodnikova, Varvara / Ziani, Lina [UIU] def. Griechen, Mikaela / Dykema, Tia [MSUM] 6-3
3. Bell, Madison / Reichmann, Greta [MSUM] def. Murugan, Padmasree / Wall, Elaina [UIU] 6-3
