Women's Tennis Advances to MVC Semifinals

Friday, April 25

Omaha, Neb.

9:00 AM

University of Northern Iowa

Southern Illinois

Women's Tennis Advances to MVC Semifinals

4/25/2008 8:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis

By: UNI Athletics Communications

April 25, 2008

Final Stats

Omaha, Neb. - The University of Northern Iowa women's tennis team rolled past Southern Illinois, 4-1 in the quarterfinal round of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament today. The Panthers will now play the winner of No.1 Indiana State or No. 8 Bradley in the MVC semifinals tomorrow at 11 a.m. UNI improves to 14-8 overall, while Southern Illinois finishes 11-12 on the season.

The Salukis jumped out to a 1-0 lead over the Panthers after winning the doubles point. Southern Illinois' Sabine Tsala Mvilong and Jessica Flannery teamed up to top Diana Mendez and Sampada Kanade, 9-8 and won the super tie-break 7-2 in No. 1 doubles. Amanda Taillefer and Andrea Courtney sealed the doubles point for the Salukis with an 8-4 win over Carolina Hannes and Laia Gonzalez-Garrido, 8-5. The Panther duo Meghana Paritala and Taynara Moraes picked up the lone win for the Panthers in doubles play over Martina Vianna Cé and Michela Cruise, 8-4 in No. 2 doubles.

"We played really well in the doubles matches today, and we were just unlucky to not win the doubles point," head coach Sachin Kirtane said.

In singles play, the Panthers won all four matches that were played. Kanade got the Panthers back on the winning track posting a 6-2, 6-3 win over Mvilongo in No. 1 singles, and Gonzalez picked up a victory in No. 4 singles because Cruise could not finish the match because of the victory. In No. 6 singles Hannes picked up her school record 86th career victory over Andrea Courtney, 6-1, 6-0, and Moraes secured the victory for the Panthers' over Flannery, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4.

"Every girl fought extremely hard in the singles matches today and we played really well," Kirtane said. "I was extremely proud of Sampada being able to beat Mvilongo after losing to her in the regular season, and Carolina picking up her 86th career victory."

The Panthers fell to Indiana State, 7-0 at home this year, and beat Bradley, 5-2 at home.

Northern Iowa 4, Southern Illinois 1

Singles Results:
No. 1 Diana Mendez (UNI) vs. Amanda Taillefer (SIU) no result
No. 6 Carolina Hannes (UNI) def. Andrea Courtney (SIU) 6-1, 6-0

Doubles Results:
No. 1 Tsala/Flannery (SIU) def. Mendez/Kanade (UNI) 9-8, (7-2)
No. 2 Paritala/Moraes (UNI) def. Cé/Cruise (SIU) 8-4
No. 3 Taillefer/Courtney (SIU) def. Hannes/Gonzalez-Garrido (UNI) 8-5