University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota Seizes First Big Ten Win in East Lansing
3/22/2009 12:00:00 AM | Tennis
Minnesota posted its first Big Ten victory of the season on Sunday with a 6-1 victory over Michigan State in East Lansing, Mich.
The Gophers came within two points of a sweep as Michigan State’s only victory came in a third-set super-tiebreaker at No. 6 singles. Minnesota had lost its previous two matches and is now 8-6 overall and 1-2 in the Big Ten. Michigan State fell to 7-10 overall and 0-4 in the conference. It was the Gophers’ last of six straight road matches as Minnesota finished 3-3 during the stretch.
Minnesota earned the doubles point after Karina Chiarelli and Alessandra Ferrazzi coasted to an 8-1 win at No. 1 and Alex Seaton and Magdalena Wiecha pulled out a 9-7 victory at No. 3. Tijana Koprivica and Niltooli Wilkins fell at No. 2 by an 8-3 count.
Minnesota had four singles players win in straight sets with Koprivica delivering the most convincing win with a 6-3, 6-2 triumph over Elena Ivanova at No. 3. Wiecha was a 6-3, 6-3 victor over Whitney Wilson at No. 5. Ferrazzi and Wilkins both used tiebreaker wins in their victories as Ferrazzi beat Manon Noe 7-6, 6-1 at No. 2 and Wilkins topped Ana Milosavljevic 6-3, 7-6 at No. 4.
Chiarelli gave the Gophers their sixth victory with a three-set win at No. 1 singles, beating Stephanie Kebler 5-7, 7-5, (10-4). Jackie Sperling suffered Minnesota’s only loss, dropping a tight three-set contest to Dana Guentert 3-6, 6-4, (10-8).
Minnesota returns home to face Penn State on Friday at 5:30 p.m. at the Baseline Tennis Center.
Minnesota 6, Michigan State 1
Doubles
1. Chiarelli/Ferrazzi (Minn) def. Noe/Wilson (MSU), 8-1
2. Kebler/Ivanova (MSU) def. Koprivica/Wilkins (Minn), 8-3
3. Seaton/Wiecha (Minn) def. Lonergan/Milosavljevic (MSU), 9-7
Singles
1. Karina Chiarelli (Minn) def. Stephanie Kebler (MSU), 5-7, 7-5, 10-4
2. Alessandra Ferrazzi (Minn) def. Manon Noe (MSU), 7-6, 6-1
3. Tijana Koprivica (Minn) def. Elena Ivanova (MSU), 6-3, 6-2
4. Niltooli Wilkins (Minn) def. Ana Milosavljevic (MSU), 6-3, 7-6
5. Magdalena Wiecha (Minn) def. Whitney Wilson (MSU), 6-3, 6-3
6. Dana Guentert (MSU) def. Jackie Sperling (Minn), 3-6, 6-4, 10-8
Players Mentioned
