Jayhawks Fall to Illinois, then Rebound by Routing Saint Louis
Feb. 10, 2008
<?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>LAWRENCE, Kan. — In its only double-header of the season, the University of Kansas tennis team split a pair of matches against Illinois and Saint Louis on Sunday at First Serve. The Jayhawks opened the day by falling, 5-2, to the Illini but then bounced back with a convincing 7-0 victory over the Billikens.<?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>
Following Sunday’s results, Kansas’ record now stands at 1-3.
KU opened the day strongly as it built a quick 1-0 lead over Illinois by winning two of the three doubles matches. The Jayhawks got wins from their No. 1 tandem of senior Elizaveta Avdeeva and Edina Horvath, as well as from the No. 3 duo of Lauren Hommell and Magdalena Tokarczyk, who came back from a 7-3 deficit to pick up the victory.
However, Kansas could not find the same success in singles play as Horvath was the only Jayhawk to record a win. The Budapest, Hungary, native defeated Illinois’ Marisa Lambropoulos, 6-4, 6-4, in the No. 3 match.
After suffering a frustrating loss to the Illini, KU quickly got back on track against Saint Louis, taking all three doubles matches to open the dual. Avdeeva and Horvath went down 2-0 in the No. 1 contest, but won the next eight games to put away SLU’s Amanda Hellberg and Cassey Miller, improving their record to 4-0 in dual match play. Hommell and Tokarczyk also gritted out another victory, defeating Joe Becker and Tara Grant, 9-7.
Sophomore Kunigunda Dorn and junior Yuliana Svistun won the No. 2 doubles contest, marking the pair’s first win in dual match play this season.
Kansas then went on to win each of the six singles matches, sending the team to its first shutout since March 25, 2006 — which ironically came against Saint Louis. Picking up victories for KU were Tokarczyk, her first in the No. 1 position, Avdeeva, Horvath — who finished a perfect four-of-four in singles and doubles on Sunday — senior Stephanie Smith and Svistun, who outlasted SLU’s Cassey Miller in three sets.
The Jayhawks will return to action on Saturday, Feb. 16 when they host UMKC. Play is set to get underway at 11 a.m. at First Serve.
Results
Kansas 7, Saint Louis 0
Doubles
1) Avdeeva/Horvath (KU) def. Hellberg/Miller (SLU), 8-2
2) Dorn/Svistun (KU) def. Mckenna/McCullagh (SLU), 8-3
3) Hommell/Tokarczyk (KU) def. Becker/Grant (SLU), 9-7
Singles
1) Magdalena Tokarczyk (KU) def. Tara Grant (SLU), 6-2, 6-0
2) Elizaveta Avdeeva (KU) def. Amanda Hellberg (SLU), 6-1, 6-2
3) Edina Horvath (KU) def. Joe Becker (SLU), 6-1, 6-2
4) Kunigunda Dorn (KU) def. Rachel McCullagh (SLU), 6-1, 6-1
5) Yuliana Svistun (KU) def. Cassey Miller (SLU), 7-6 (2), 1-6, 1-0 (8)
6) Stephanie Smith (KU) def. Caitlin McKenna (SLU), 6-4, 6-2
Illinois 5, Kansas 2
Doubles
1)Avdeeva/Horvath (KU) def. Fudge/Finnegan (UI) 8-4
2) Lambropoulos/Dave (UI.) def. Dorn/Svistun (KU), 9-7
3) Hommell/Tokarczyk (KU) def. Meza-Cuadra/McCarthy (UI), 9-7
Singles
1) Megan Fudge (UI) def. Magdalena Tokarczyk (KU), 6-3, 6-1
2) Leigh Finnegan (UI) def. Elizaveta Avdeeva (KU), 0-6, 7-5, 6-2
3) Edina Horvath (KU) def. Marisa Lambropoulos (IU), 6-4, 6-4
4) Shivari Dave (UI) def. Kunigunda Dorn (KU), 6-2, 4-6, 6-0
5) Momei Qu (UI) def. Yuliana Svistun (KU), 4-6, 7-6, 6-4
6) Kristina Minor (UI) def. Maria Martinez (KU), 6-3, 6-2
