Tiger tennis dominates against other Midwest universities
Impressive showing leads to Missouri playing Missouri for finals rounds.
Published Sept. 15, 2008
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Senior Jessica Giuggioli prepares a forehand strike during the Mizzou Invitational on Friday at the Green Tennis Center. The Tigers went undefeated in the first round of the tournament and Guiggioli won the Singles Bracket A title.
The women's tennis team was anxious to get back on court this weekend after last season ended on a sour note.
The Tigers were ousted in the first round of the Big 12 Championship last year. To start the 2008 season, they won five of their six doubles matches along with victories in all eight of their singles matches this weekend.
The Green Tennis Center saw continuous play Friday through Sunday as Missouri hosted a five-team tournament that included Illinois State, Drake University, St. Louis University and UM-Kansas City.
The Tigers enjoyed impressive results throughout. In the Singles A Bracket, senior Jessica Giuggioli and sophomore Kaitlyn Ritchie made it through to play each other in the final. Giuggioli took down her teammate, freshman Jamie Mera, in the semifinals, while Ritchie beat SLU's Hailee Elmore in a close three set match to get to the final.
Giuggioli got the best of Ritchie on Sunday with a 7-5, 6-3 win.
Junior Sofia Ayala won the Singles B Bracket the same day, taking down Drake's Jessica Aguilera 6-1, 6-1 in the final.
Junior Kaitlin Dunham completed the Sunday sweep for MU with a 6-2, 6-0 victory over Drake's Sarah Plowman to capture the Singles C Bracket.
"We had a goal that when we got to Sunday we wanted to see Missouri playing Missouri," coach Blake Starkey said.
Not only were the Tigers featured in all of the singles finals matchups, but they also contended for the doubles crowns as well.
On Sunday morning, Ayala and sophomore Maureen Modesto teamed up to win the back draw of the doubles bracket. They won a tight match 9-8, 8-6 over Illinois State.
Sophomore Mallory Weber combined with Mera to beat Ritchie and Giuggioli 8-2 in the final of the doubles main draw.
Even with the impressive showing by Missouri, the most important thing for Starkey this weekend was for his players to get back on the court.
"This weekend's tournament is just to get the juices flowing," he said.
That was especially important for Mera, who got her first taste of college tennis.
"Definitely playing right now is a little nerve-racking," Mera said. "You have to kind of prove yourself."
After getting some of the butterflies out of her system, Mera is already setting goals for herself for the upcoming season.
"I just want to be one of our really competitive players, and I think I can be," Mera said.
Giuggioli, the lone senior on MU's roster, shares some of the same sentiments, although she's aiming a little higher.
"I definitely would like to get ranked before I graduate," Giuggioli said.
Giuggioli began her campaign well, showing no signs of rust as she led the Tigers in impressive form this weekend.
Missouri will head on the road next, traveling to Las Vegas on Sept. 26 to play in the three-day UNLV Invitational.