Missouri tennis opens at home to mixed results

Winning their first home match did not lead to victory Saturday.

By Vinnie Duber

Published Feb. 23, 2009

It was an up-and-down weekend for the Missouri women's tennis team. One day after defeating the Drake Bulldogs 4-3 in its first home match of the season, the Tigers had no answer for the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Saturday, dropping the match 5-2.

The Tigers earn their fourth victory of the season in Friday's match against Drake. Sophomore Kaitlyn Ritchie won the deciding point for the Tigers as the fifth singles player. She pushed the score to 4-3 in favor of Missouri.

The Tigers could not carry the momentum into Saturday's match with Minnesota. Missouri started strong, playing three tight doubles matches, but the doubles point went to Minnesota and the Gophers were able to put the Tigers away early.

"It completely set the tone," coach Blake Starkey said. "We should've won it."

Minnesota claimed the next four points in the first four singles matches to seal their victory. Missouri's top four singles players did not win a set.

"We're playing pretty good right now," freshman Danielle Day said.

Day was defeated in both doubles and singles play.

"Today we just played a better team," she said.

Missouri would capture its two points in the evening's final two matches. Senior Sofia Ayala and Ritchie won the singles matches.

In the opening doubles round, the teams split the first two matches, with the win belonging to the second doubles team of Ritchie and senior Jessica Giuggioli.

The third match between the third teams went down to the wire but bent in favor of the Gophers. Tiger doubles partners Ayala and Day had a 7-4 game lead, but could not hold on for the win.

It was a loss that gave the Gophers their lone doubles point, a 1-0 advantage, and the momentum for the rest of the match.

Ritchie had a solid weekend individually. She won her doubles match alongside Giuggioli on Friday, as well as her singles match, which won the match for the Tigers. She kept her hot streak going Saturday, earning Missouri's only win in doubles and giving the Tigers their first point with a dominating win over Minnesota's Magdalena Wiecha. The Gophers' No. 5 singles player won only five games against Ritchie during the two set match.

"I really like playing at home," Ritchie said. "Jess and I play well together. We trust each other on the court and we are successful."

Giuggioli, the Tigers No. 1 singles player, lost her match to Alessandra Ferrazzi. Also dropping singles matches for the Tigers were sophomore Mallory Weber, freshman Jamie Mera and Day.