The Upper Iowa University women's tennis team secured a 4-3 win over St. Cloud State University in their first action since February. UIU swept the doubles matches and made quick work of SCSU to clinch the team win at 4-1 with wins at Nos. 1, 2, and 3 singles. The Peacocks improve to a 7-5 (4-3 NSIC) record, while the Huskies fall to 5-7 (3-4 NSIC).
RECAP... Upper Iowa took an early 1-0 lead in the team score thanks to a dominant sweep of the doubles matches.
Charalampia Grammatikaki and
Jessa Michieli secured a flawless 6-0 win in No. 2 doubles before the No. 1 Peacock pairing of
Varvara Ogorodnikova and
Lina Ziani matched the effort with a 6-0 victory of their own to clinch the doubles point. The duo of
Padmasree Murugan and
Elaina Wall kept the momentum rolling with a 6-3 win in the No. 3 doubles match to secure the sweep.
In singles competition, Grammatikaki maintained the Peacock push with a 6-2, 6-0 win in straight sets in the No. 1 singles match to give UIU a 2-0 edge. Ogorodnikova earned a straight-set win of her own in the No. 2 singles spot, winning 6-0, 6-1 to pull Upper Iowa within one of the team win.
St. Cloud State stayed alive and got on the scoreboard with a 6-0, 6-0 win over Wall in the No. 6 singles match. However, the Peacocks secured the clinching fourth point thanks to a 6-2, 6-2 win from Michieli in the No. 3 singles spot. Ziani and Murugan were unable to add wins at No. 4 and No. 5 singles, respectively, as the Huskies picked up straight-set wins. However, UIU had clinched the dual at 4-1 before the contest ended with a 4-3 Upper Iowa advantage.
COACH'S QUOTE... "We picked up a well-deserved victory today! We started really strong in doubles by playing smart and aggressive tennis. We continued by clinching Singles 1-2-3. St. Cloud was able to win the rest of the single matches, but the double point got us the team win. I am extremely proud of the attitude and energy we brought today. We worked hard the past two weeks and it paid of today. We will need to keep that same energy and attitude tomorrow against Minnesota Duluth. Go Peacocks!" - Head Coach, Léo Millet
UP NEXT... Upper Iowa will look to maintain their momentum in Winona, Minn. with a matchup against the University of Minnesota Duluth on Sunday, Mar. 20, at 1:45 p.m.
RESULTS...
Upper Iowa 4, St. Cloud State 3
Singles competition
1. Grammatikaki, Chara (UIU) def. Kashima, Arisa (SCSU) 6-2, 6-0
2. Ogorodnikova, Varvara (UIU) def. Paz Aoki, Maria (SCSU) 6-0, 6-1
3. Michieli, Jessa (UIU) def. Brower, Johana (SCSU) 6-2, 6-2
4. Kinny, Shanna (SCSU) def. Ziani, Lina (UIU) 6-2, 6-4
5. Munoz Perez, Claudia (SCSU) def. Murugan, Padmasree (UIU) 6-2, 6-2
6. Fitzpatrick, Sam (SCSU) def. Wall, Elaina (UIU) 6-0, 6-0
Doubles competition
1. Ogorodnikova, Varvara / Ziani, Lina (UIU) def. Brower, Johana / Munoz Perez, Claudia (SCSU) 6-0
2. Grammatikaki, Chara / Michieli, Jessa (UIU) def. Kinny, Shanna / Paz Aoki, Maria (SCSU) 6-0
3. Murugan, Padmasree / Wall, Elaina (UIU) def. Fredrickson, Oliva / Molitor, Maria (SCSU) 6-3
