Michigan State University
Minnesota
Michigan State Downs Golden Gophers
4/2/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
April 2, 2006
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - Women's tennis finished up their two-day road trip with a 4-3 win over Minnesota today. The Spartans bounced back from their loss to No. 40 Iowa, yesterday, to improve to 11-6 overall and 2-3 in the Big Ten, while Minnesota slides to 3-12 overall and remains winless in four conference contests.
The Spartans started the day taking the No.3 doubles match as junior Pascale Schnitzer (Santiago, Chile) and freshman Marianne Eelens (Noord, Aruba) beat senior Megan Steiger and junior Jenna Tellefsen, 8-2. The Golden Gophers won the next two doubles matches, capturing the match's first point, when No.1 pairing Christine Bader (Okemos, Mich.) and Sarah Andrews (Darwin, Australia) fell to Minnesota's top duo of Ida Malmberg and Nischela Reddy, 8-3, and Danielle Mousseau and Mariana Spilca defeated Michigan State junior Jessica Baron (Miami, Fla.) and freshman Stephanie Kebler (Okemos, Mich.), 8-6.
Singles play saw the Spartans' fortunes turn as they took four out of the six singles matches. Baron and Andrews both played three set matches that saw MSU come out on top. Baron faced Mousseau, where she dropped her first set 6-2, then rebounded to take the next two sets, 6-3, 6-3. Andrews, playing at the No. 5 spot, lost her first set to Jane Anderson, but took the next two to win the match 4-6, 6-3, 7-5.
Spartan freshmen Kebler and Eelens also contributed singles wins at the No. 4 and 6 singles spots. Kebler made quick work of Splica, defeating her in straight sets, 6-0, 6-2, while Eelens's beat sophomore Marina Bugaenco, 7-6 (6), 6-2 It was Eelen's first singles win since March 20, and her first win in Big Ten play.
"Our team was up to the challenge," said interim coach Brett Page. "We turned it around in singles and just played our hearts out. It was an incredibly courageous effort from everyone in our line-up."
The only losses in singles play for MSU came at the Nos. 1 and 2 slots. Sophomore Bader fell in straight sets to Reddy, 6-1, 6-1, while junior Schnitzer took her first set from Malmberg, but lost the next two, 7-6 (5), 6-1.
"It was a tough trip this weekend," said Page. "We got in late last night because of plane delays and we had to play at 11:00 this morning. Our team showed a lot of heart just showing up. To fight back and win so many three set matches shows how tough these girls are. Coach Mactaggart and I are just so proud of the girls and their effort."
Michigan State women's tennis will be in action again next Saturday, April 8, as they continue Big Ten play against Illinois. Play will begin at 10:00 a.m.
Michigan State 4 Minnesota 3 Singles
1. Nischela Reddy (MN) def. Christine Bader (MSU), 6-1, 6-1
2. Ida Malmberg (MN) def. Pascale Schnitzer (MSU), 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-1
3. Jessica Baron (MSU) def. Danielle Mousseau (MN), 2-6, 6-3, 6-3
4. Stephanie Kebler (MSU) def. Mariana Spilca (MN), 6-0, 6-2
5. Sarah Andrews (MSU) def. Jane Anderson (MN), 4-6, 6-3, 7-5
6. Marianne Eelens (MSU) def. Marina Bugaenco (MN), 7-6 (6), 6-2
Order of finish: 1,4,6,3,5,2
Doubles
1. Malmberg/Reddy (MN) def Andrews/Bader (MSU), 8-3
2. Mousseau/Spilca (MN) def. Baron/Kebler (MSU), 8-6
3. Eelens/Schnitzer (MSU) def. Megan Steiger/Jenna Tellefsen (MN), 8-2
Order of finish: 3,1,2
Players Mentioned
