Despite hitting the road for the first time in four matches, the Drake women’s tennis team was still able to continue its winning streak. The Bulldogs swept matches against Northern Illinois, SIU Edwardsville, South Dakota and North Dakota before hitting the road to take on Green Bay and Milwaukee last weekend.
Green Bay put up less of a challenge than the latter as the Bulldogs put up a 7-0 victory last Friday. The Bulldogs notched victories in doubles and senior Amanda Aragon and freshman Nell Boyd defeated Amanda Timm and Samantha Iwen at the No. 3 position. Senior Gabby Demos also defeated Timm in the singles category, notching a 6-0, 6-3 victory.
“We’re just getting started this season,” Demos said.
Senior Jessica Aguilera was also able to register a singles victory alongside junior Manca Krizman and senior Earlynn Lauer.
The matchup against Milwaukee was a bit tougher as Drake escaped with a 4-3 victory. Contributing to the close margin was a big victory for the Panthers at the No. 3 doubles position. Kelly Fritz and Kristin Kurer topped Aguilera and junior Ali Patterson, putting Drake in a hole. What really led to the victory for the Bulldogs was some good singles play by the veterans.
Aguilera notched a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Fritz, but Milwaukee’s Maddy Soule was able to top Drake’s Klavdija Rebol at the No. 1 spot to even the affair. Boyd put the Bulldogs ahead with a big 6-4, 7-5 victory at No. 4 singles, and Patterson clinched the Bulldogs’ win with a 6-1, 6-1 victory of her own at the No. 6 position.
“We were down Manca, so everyone had to play their best, and they did,” Demos said. “I’m so proud of my team.”
Head coach Paul Thomson said that he was impressed with the team’s ability to finish in close games.
“We played some of the best tennis I have seen us play,” Thomson said. “We showed unbelievable fight being down a player to earn the victory.”
Krizman was held out of the match because of discomfort that she felt in her neck. She was held out of the match as a precaution.
The Bulldogs return to action at the Roger Knapp Tennis Center this Saturday, taking on Missouri-Kansas City and Chicago State at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., respectively.
