April 24, 2009
Stats
OMAHA, Neb. -
Redbird freshman Hannah Esker won her sixth-straight singles conference match to help the Illinois State women's tennis team advance to the semifinals of the 2009 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Championships over Drake, 4-0, Friday at Creighton's Koch Family Tennis Center in Omaha, Neb.
Esker defeated Drake's Kari Sloboth in straight sets, 6-2, 6-1, in Flight 5 singles. The win marked Esker's second victory over Sloboth in the spring season.
The Redbirds started the quarterfinals by dominating the Bulldogs in doubles play. Natalia Lech and Tanja Hrovatic bested Drake's Jessica Aguilera and Jessia Labarte, 8-6, in Flight 2 doubles, for their fourth-straight conference doubles victory. In Flight 3 doubles, Esker and Carmen Peters defeated Sloboth and Demos, 8-4.
The Redbirds clinched the win with singles wins in Flight 3 and 4. Hrovatic bested Labarte, 6-4, 6-1, in Flight 3, while Franziska Steinhardt defeated Drake's Aguilera, 6-3, 6-3, in Flight 4.
Flights 1, 2 and 6 in singles play and Flight 1 in doubles play went unfinished due to a speedy Redbird victory and time constraints.
With the win, the Redbirds improved to an overall record of 14-9 and 6-3 Valley mark.
"I'm very pleased with the win," said head coach Chris Hoover. "It was not easy, but the team came ready to play today. We have advanced to the semifinials 12 out of 13 years. So, it is nice to be there again. Saturday's match will be tough no matter who we play, but we will try our best."
Illinois State returns to the courts in Omaha, Neb., for the State Farm MVC Championship semifinals to face the winner of the No. 1 Wichita State and No. 8 Creighton match Saturday at 11 a.m.
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