March 29, 2007
Final Stats
PEORIA, Ill. -
The Illinois State women's tennis team showed why it's the four-time defending Missouri Valley Conference champion on Thursday by soundly beating Bradley, 7-0, in the conference opener for both schools at the Markin Tennis Courts in Peoria, Ill.
The Redbirds were dominant sweeping both the doubles and singles contests. In singles, all six positions won in straight sets.
The victory evens ISU's overall mark at 6-6 (1-0 MVC) and the loss drops Bradley's record to 5-10 (0-1 MVC).
"This was a really good victory today," head coach Chris Hoover said. "We came out playing well in doubles and really carried the momentum over to singles.
"Today was our most complete effort of the season. Everyone came out and played solidly at the same time and when we can do that, we are a tough team to beat."
Illinois State began the match by jumping out to an early 1-0 lead winning all three doubles contests in convincing fashion. The Redbirds' No. 2 team of sophomore Tanja Hrovatic and freshman Julia Zubkova wasted little time defeating Bradley's Kelly Donohue and Kim Braun, 8-1, while junior Carolyne Parent and senior Matea Simovic clinched the point with an 8-1 victory of their own over Emily Regenold and Erin Krubeck at the No. 3 spot. ISU completed the sweep over the Braves when senior Katri Miller and junior Véronique Parke-Bédard outlasted Elise Montrose and Jess Buterbaugh, 8-7, 7-3 in the tiebreaker, at the top spot in the lineup.
In singles action, the `Birds continued to play with great confidence taking all six singles positions in a match for the first time since March 2 at Saint Louis. Hrovatic captured her second match in a row and fifth of the season by beating Butterbaugh, 6-0, 6-1, at the No. 5 spot. Zubkova, competing at the No. 2 position, put ISU up 3-0 when she defeated Regenold, 6-2, 6-0, while Parke-Bédard clinched the victory for the `Birds by besting Teri Chan, 6-2, 6-2.
At the No. 4 spot, Parent won her team-leading 16th match of the season and improves to 9-2 in dual-match action by breezing past Donohue, 6-1, 6-1.
Sophomore Megan Rozboril notched her first victory of the season at the sixth position by beating Braun, 6-2, 6-4, while at the No. 1 spot in the lineup Miller claimed her 11th win of the season by upending Montrose in straight sets, 6-3, 7-5.
The Redbirds return to Valley action on Saturday when they travel to Omaha, Neb., to face Creighton. Match time between the `Birds and Bluejays is schedule for 11 a.m. at the Hanscom Tennis Center.
