April 21, 2006
Final Stats
NORMAL, Ill. -
Illinois State (11-5, 7-1) begins the weekend with domination as they take down Evansville (8-11, 2-5), 7-0. This win keeps the Redbirds in a first place tie with Indiana State and a chance for the No. 1 seed in the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Team Championships on April 28-30, in Omaha, Neb.
The first singles' point for the `Birds was given by Nicole Schneider in No. 3 singles. She has compiled an 11match-win streak from today's competition as she beat Allison Cox, 6-2, 6-0. This puts Schneider at a team's best 14-2 record in singles.
Ashley Maxwell played Anna Krodel in No. 6 singles and showed no weakness throughout her match as she took away a 6-2, 6-0 win, and Véronique Parke-Bédard had the same result in her No. 3 singles victory against Stephanie Millis. Carolyne Parent faced the older sister of the Krodel's, Emily Krodel, and won, 6-2, 6-3 for the No. 5 position.
Katri Miller's aggressive performance in No. 1 singles earned her the win over Sarah Wilhoite, 6-2, 6-1 and Emilie Sechaud did not let up as she took down her opponent, Lisa Kawamoto, 6-3, 6-0, in the No. 2 spot.
The `Birds also earned the doubles point of the match but had some trouble.
"Doubles has not been consistent which is something we need to work on," said Hoover. "We are trying to build that momentum in our play and need to keep dominating more in our matches."
Miller and Michelle Rabinovich held strong throughout their No. 1 doubles match to top Cox and Millis, 8-1. Parke-Bédard and Maxwell struggled with the No. 2 Evansville's piar, E. Krodel and Kawamoto, but came out with the final match win 8-4 which was also the score for Schneider and Matea Simovic's victory over Wilhoite and A. Krodel in No. 3 doubles.
Head coach Chris Hoover was happy with the team's sweep over Evansville, but believes the team has to build more energy in its competitions in order to keep it's first place spot and have a chance for the MVC team championship.
"We have a tendency to play at the level of our competition which I thought we did today," said Hoover. "We have to be careful of because that can ruin our chances earning MVC title," said Hoover.
Illinois State faces Southern Illinois tomorrow at 1p.m. on the McCormick Courts.
