Oct. 7, 2009
NORMAL, Ill. -
Illinois State sophomore Hannah Esker will attempt for another top-three finish as the women's tennis team competes at the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Individual Championships in Evansville, Ind.
Esker, from Effingham, Ill., competed against Drake's Katie Sloboth in the 2008-09 MVC Individual Championship and bested her, 6-0, 6-2, to take third place.
In addition to Drake, also competing at this year's MVC Individual Championship will be Valley schools Bradley, Wichita State, Southern Illinois, Northern Iowa, Creighton and Evansville.
The Redbirds have already faced Bradley this season, however head coach Chris Hoover is looking for his team's talent to stand out this weekend.
"I know we have some talent on this team," Hoover said. "We've had moments where we've shown it and moments where we haven't. I'm hopeful that the talented team I have shows up this weekend. I think we're geared up for it and ready to play. Hopefully we can bring the intensity and mental toughness and put some people in championship matches."
Also competing with Esker this weekend will be fellow Redbirds Natalia Lech, Julia Zubkova, Carmen Peters, Maria Occhipinti, Franziska Steinhardt, Sarah Streitz, Aniko Kiss, Stefanie Youngberg and Ariane Maack.
The tournament will feature both singles and doubles play and will begin Friday, Oct. 9, at 9 a.m., and run through Sunday, Oct. 11 on the Carson Center Tennis Courts.
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