Liina Suurvarik got her first win of many for the Illinois State womens tennis team which split squads today and went the Mizzou Four-Way tournament and to the St. Louis University Invite.
Suurvarik lead the way for the Redbirds downing Murray States Jessica Leeper at the No. 2 position 6-3, 6-4. The win was Suurvariks 99 career victory putting her one behind the career leader Jennifer Leipa who has 100. Emilie Sechaud picked up the other victory dropping Kansas in a tiebreaker Kristen Steinbock 6-0, 3-6, 10-8. Laura Gravino dropped a hard fought match to the No. 24 nationally ranked player Missouris Urska Juric 6-1, 6-3. In her first collegiate match Katri Miller fell at the No. 4 seed to Kansas in a tiebreaker Emily Haylock 4-6, 6-4, 10-7. The doubles team of Gravino and Sechaud fell to Murray States Anna Lasek and Leeper 8-3.
Hoover thought it was a rough couple of matches for the girls to start with.
Miller faced a tough opening match for her first collegiate experience, Hoover said. Laura fought hard at the No. 1 seed taking on the ranked opponent.
The Redbirds did not have as good of luck playing at the St. Louis University Invite. Playing in Flight A, the lone bright spot for the Birds was freshman Matea Simovic. After falling to Northern Illinois Brunka Savic 7-6, 6-0, Simovic downed St. Louis Amy OHandley in a tie breaker 6-2, 3-6, 10-3. Simovic will move to the back draw championship after St. Louis Sandra Simunic defaulted in the semi-finals.
Elizabeth Bingier got a bye in the first round and fell to Eastern Illinois Becky Brunner, 6-2, 6-2. Bingier then dropped the back draw to Northern Illinois Ivonne Andeade 6-4, 6-2. Sophomore Ashley Maxwell fared the same falling to Eastern Illinois Madina Mambecova 6-3, 6-0, and Simunic in the back draw 6-3, 6-2. In the last match Dasha Cizkova fell to St. Louis Amanda Hellberg 6-2, 6-2, and Amber Lenfert 6-2, 6-3 in the back draw.
The Mizzou Four-Way will continue Saturday at 9 a.m. at the Greene Tennis Center. Doubles matches will begin Saturday at 9 a.m. at the St. Louis University Invite at the Billiken Tennis Center.
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