The Illinois State womens tennis team upset No. 57 Southwest Missouri State for its ninth straight victory with a 5-2 win Friday afternoon at the Cooper Tennis Complex.
The Redbirds (17-5, 8-0) remain undefeated in Missouri Valley Conference Play with one league match remaining.
For the 12th time this season, Illinois State jumped out to an early 1-0 lead by winning the doubles point.
The No. 1 team of Alesia Mikalayeva and Liina Suurvarik topped Ia Zozrashvilli and Marta Rubina, 8-4 while the No. 2 team of Alana Hoffman and Zana Friganovic defeated the SMS team of Amy Newman and Cassandra Godfrey by the same 8-4 score. Shelby Lipson and Brigette Zarazee, ISUs No. 3 team with 19 wins, fell for only the second time this season with a loss to Laura Alvarez and Oyuki Cruz, 8-6.
It was a great day, we took care of business, head coach Chris Hoover said. Its hard to be disappointed when you win 5-2, but Im a little disappointed with No. 3 doubles. They had been on a roll and had opportunities to finish them off but didnt.
In singles play, Mikalayeva continued her domination of Valley opponents with a 6-3, 7-5 victory over Zozrashvilli. At No. 2, Suurvarik held off Cruz after a tight first set, 7-5, 6-3.
Senior Zana Friganovic won her ninth straight with a win against Cassandra Godfrey, who has not played the last two weeks due to injury. With Friganovic up 5-2 in the first set, Godfrey defaulted due to injury. Shelby Lipson earned her 17th win of the year win a 6-1, 6-1 triumph over Newman at No. 5.
Hoover added that his team was not done yet, as it travels to Wichita State for an 11 a.m. showdown Sunday morning.
Illinois State 5 Southwest Missouri State 2
April 20, 2001 Cooper Tennis Complex
Singles
1. Alesia Mikalayeva (ISU) def. Ia Zozrashvilli (SMS) 6-3, 7-5
2. Liina Suurvarik (ISU) def. Oyuki Cruz (SMS) 7-5, 6-3
3. Zana Friganovic (ISU) def. Cassandra Godfrey (SMS) 5-2, def.
4. Marta Rubina (SMS) def. Elizabeth Bingier (ISU) 6-3, 6-1
5. Shelby Lipson (ISU) def. Amy Newman (SMS) 6-1, 6-1
6. Laura Alvarez (SMS) def. Brigette Zarazee (ISU) 4-6, 6-3, 7-5
Doubles
1. Mikalayeva/Suurvarik (ISU) def. Zozrashvilli/Rubina (SMS) 8-4
2. Alana Hoffman/Friganovic (ISU) def. Newman/Godfrey (SMS) 8-4
3. Alvarez/Cruz (SMS) def. Lipson/Zarazee (ISU) 8-6
