University of Northern Iowa
Southern Illinois
Southern Illinois Nets 5-2 Win Over UNI
4/5/2014 1:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
CARBONDALE, Ill. – The University of Northern Iowa women's tennis team came up on the short end of a 5-2 decision to the Southern Illinois Salukis on Saturday.
UNI (9-9 overall, 0-2 MVC) scored both of its points in the dual in singles play. UNI's Astrid Santos picked up a 6-4, 6-4 win at No. 4 singles, while Krissy Lankelma tallied a three-set win at No. 5 singles.
SIU (13-6 overall, 2-0 MVC) secured the doubles point by gaining wins at No. 2 and No. 3 doubles. UNI's No. 1 doubles pairing of Jieke Stroobant and Erica Medlin posted an 8-4 win. The Panthers's No. 2 doubles duo of Santos and Elvira Lopez had a 5-2 lead but saw it evaporate into an 8-6 win for the Salukis.
“This is obviously a tough one to swallow,” UNI head coach Daniel Finn said. “You never like losing matches like this one – an especially intense conference road match. But credit to SIU because they really stepped up big. Their seniors really played big and stepped up when they needed them today. I can't stress enough how important the doubles point was today, especially when we squandered the 5-2 lead away. It gave SIU all the momentum. Once SIU won the doubles, they played much looser in singles. I do have to give my team credit for its fight today. We just didn't play the smartest tennis but we competed and are continuing to learn each and every day. When we figure out how to compete in a smart way, we are going to be a very tough team to handle in the Valley.”
UNI will travel to Evansville, Ind., for a pair of matches on Sunday. UNI will take on the Evansville Purple Aces at 10 a.m., followed by a matchup with the University of Southern Indiana at 3 p.m.
“We get a couple more chances on the road tomorrow in Evansville,” Finn said. “So we will keep fighting and try to get some bounces our way.”
Players Mentioned
