University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Missouri
Gophers Win Again, Beat Missouri 6-1
2/24/2012 12:00:00 AM | Tennis
Feb. 24, 2012
The Minnesota women's tennis team continued its winning ways with a 6-1 victory against Missouri at Baseline Tennis Center. The Gophers, who entered the ITA Rankings this week at No. 71, have won three straight dual matches and are 3-1 against ranked opponents this year.
Coach Ty Thompson shuffled his doubles pairings after going three straight matches without winning the doubles point. His handling of the lineup paid off as Minnesota jumped out to a 1-0 lead after winning matches in doubles at the second and third position. Julia Courter and Tereza Brichacova got the Gophers on the board early with an 8-4 win at third doubles against Alex Clark and Ashleigh Chiaf.
Minnesota secured the doubles point when Natallia Pintusava and Magdalena Wiecha won 8-5 at No. 2 against Annemijn Koenen and Rachel Stuhlmann. It was Wiecha's first action of the season, as she missed the team's first six matches with an injury.
Alexa Palen and Yuliana Umanets fell at No. 1 doubles 8-4 to Nina Pantic and Jamie Mera, but that was already after Minnesota took the early lead in the overall match.
Palen shook off her setback and doubles and made quick work of Pantic at No. 1 singles 6-3, 6-2 to put Minnesota up 2-0. Palen improved to 6-0 in singles this year and has won her last three matches at No. 1 singles.
Doron Muravnik followed Palen with a tidy 6-2, 6-2 win against Clark at the fifth position, as the Gophers built their lead to 3-0. Muravnik is now 5-1 in singles this year.
Sophomore Yuliana Umanets secured the win for the Maroon and Gold with a 6-4, 6-2 triumph against Mera at No. 4 singles. Pintusava and Brichacova also posted wins for the successful Gophers.
Freshman Julia Courter suffered her second setback of the season, as she fell 6-4, 6-2 to No. 77 Stuhlmann at third singles.
Minnesota, which is 4-1 at Baseline Tennis Center this year, hosts No. 62 Virginia Tech and in-state foe Carleton on Sunday. The Gophers and Hokies begin play at 11 a.m., while Minnesota and the Knights will begin at 4:30 p.m.
After Sunday, the Gophers are on the road for five straight matches before returning for to face Northwestern on March 30.
Feb. 24, 2012
Baseline Tennis Center • Minneapolis, Minn.
No. 71 Minnesota 6, Missouri 1
Singles Competition:
1. Alexa Palen (MINN) def. Nina Pantic (MIZZ) 6-3, 6-2
2. Natallia Pintusava (MINN) def. Maria Christiensen (MIZZ) 6-4, 6-3
3. No. 77 Rachel Stuhlmann (MIZZ) def. Julia Courter (MINN) 6-3, 6-2
4. Yuliana Umanets (MINN) def. Jamie Mera (MIZZ) 6-4, 6-2
5. Doron Muravnik (MINN) def. Alex Clark (MIZZ) 6-2, 6-2
6. Tereza Brichacova (MINN) def. Annemijn Koenen (MIZZ) 6-3, 7-6 (5)
Doubles Competition:
1. Nina Pantic/Jamie Mera (MIZZ) def. Alexa Palen/Yuliana Umanets (MINN) 8-4
2. Natallia Pintusava/Magdalena Wiecha (MINN) def. Annemijn Koenen/Rachel Stuhlmann (MIZZ) 8-5
3. Julia Courter/Tereza Brichacova (MINN) def. Alex Clark/Ashleigh Chiaf (MIZZ) 8-4
Match Notes:
No. 71 Minnesota 6-1
Missouri 4-4
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (1,5,4,3,2,6)
Players Mentioned
