Women's Tennis Beats Second Ranked Team, Tops No. 37 N.C. State
Feb. 11, 2012
MADISON, Wis. – The DePaul women’s tennis team continues to make a case for Campbell’s/ITA Collegiate rankings with their impressive 6-1 victory over No. 37 N.C. State on Saturday at Wisconsin’s Nielsen Tennis Stadium. The win is the Blue Demon’s seventh straight and second win over a ranked opponent in three matches.
“It was another terrific match today. I am just so proud of how our team was able to bring the intensity two days in a row,” DePaul head coach Mark Ardizzone said after his team picked up its second win in as many days.
“We really did a good job of dealing with a great comeback attempt by N.C. State. To get, to where we want to be, we have to beat good teams like this.”
The Blue Demons, who are looking to get back to the NCAA Tournament after making the program’s first trip in 2009, already have a win over No. 36 SMU and will play two more ranked teams before the end of the month.
Both teams came into Saturday’s match focused and looked to grab the duals early momentum. In doubles, both teams made great plays at the net and hit challenging shots, but it was the Blue Demons who came out on top and claimed the early lead.
Kelsey Lawson and Cali Gustafson registered the first win of the afternoon when the Blue Demon pair topped Elisha Hande and Choloe Smith 8-6 on the third court.
N.C. State evened the doubles score at one with a win on the second court before DePaul’s Jasmin Kling and Gia McKnight claimed victory on the top court. Kling and McKnight improve to 6-2 in duals with their 8-5 victory over Tatiana Illova and Ashley Miller.
Heading into singles and with a 1-0 advantage, the Blue Demons continued to stay focused and went after every ball. The result was DePaul cruising to a 3-0 advantage after Lawson and Carolin Neumann each won their respective matches in straight set.
Needing one more victory, the dual’s focus shifted to the top court where Kling was locked in a battle with No. 40 Joelle Kissell. The Wolfpack player took the first set 6-3, but Kling regrouped and tied up the match with a 6-4 set-two victory. Kling continued to hit her stride and closed out her match in dominating fashion – taking the final set 6-1.
With the match clinched DePaul (7-1) did not let up on its intensity as the final three courts were heading into a third set.
Miller gave NC State (3-3) its only point of the match on the fourth court.
McKnight and Fargas closed out the dual with exciting wins on the third and second courts respectively.
DePaul returns to the courts next weekend – traveling to Western Michigan (Feb. 17) and Indiana (Feb. 19).
DePaul 6, No. 37 NC State 1
Doubles
1. Jasmin Kling/Gia McKnight (DePaul) def. Tatiana Illova/ Ashley Miller (NC State) 8-5
2. Joelle Kissell/ Chirsty Sipes (NC State) def. Rebeca Mitrea/Patricia Fargas (DePaul) 8-4
3. Kelsey Lawson/Cali Gustafson (DePaul) def. Elisha Hande/Choloe Smith (NC State) 8-6
Order of Finish: 3, 2, 1
Singles
1. Jasmin Kling (DePaul) def. No. 40 Joelle Kissell (NC State) 3-6, 6-4, 6-1
2. Patricia Fargas (DePaul) def. Tatiana Illova (NC State) 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (3)
3. Gia McKnight (DePaul) def. Elisha Hande (NC State) 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (4)
4. Ashley Miller (NC State) def. Rebeca Mitrea (DePaul) 3-6, 6-4, 6-4
5. Kelsey Lawson (DePaul) def. Christy Sipes (NC State) 6-2, 6-2
6. Carolin Neumann (DePaul) def. Chloe Smith (NC State) 7-5, 6-1
Order of Finish: 5, 6, 1, 4, 3, 2
