DePaul University

SALT LAKE CITY – No one said winning on the road was easy, but the No. 22 DePaul women’s tennis team ran its winning streak to seven road matches with a 4-3 win over No. 68 BYU on Saturday.  The Blue Demons improve to 9-1 and have now defeated four ranked teams this season.

“Today was an extremely gutsy performance by the team,” head coach Mark Ardizzone said of his team’s victory. “We are putting our women in some tough situations and they are handling them extremely well.”

Playing at the BYU Tennis Complex that has just four indoor courts the match was separated into three parts – the three doubles matches, followed by the top four singles matches and then the number five and number six spots finished off the dual.

DePaul jumped out to an early 1-0 lead as the Blue Demons won all three doubles matches by a score of 8-6. 

Playing in the number one position the No. 9 tandem of Anna Redecsi and Selma Salkovic topped their fifth ranked pair of the season with an 8-6 win over the No. 24 pair of McCall Jones and Megan Price.  Redecsi and Salkovic's win sealed the doubles point for the Blue Demons as Gia McKnight and Katarina Milinkovic topped Kristina Doerr and Romina Nedakovic for the first win of the day.

The Blue Demons took a 2-0 lead when Milinkovic took care of Chie Hayasaka on the number three court 6-3, 6-2.

BYU would win the remaining three singles matches and take a 3-2 lead with two matches yet to be played.

With the match on the line McKnight and Kirsten Gambrell took to the court with confidence and were determined not to let the match slip away.  Gambrell quickly evened the score at three with a 6-1, 6-3 win over Aubrey Paul in the number six spot.

With the match on the line all eyes were on McKnight and Elle Carney.  McKnight took the first set 6-3, but the second set did not come as easy.  McKnight prevailed 7-6 (10) to clinch the match for the Blue Demons.

“I am really proud of Gia (McKnight) and Kirsten (Gambrell),” Ardizzone said.

“With only four courts, and going out to play knowing your team was down 3-2, and knowing that you have to win is a lot of pressure.  They were really clutch for us today.”

DePaul will have to come through in the clutch again as it continues its tough schedule and plays its sixth ranked of the team in No. 70 Utah on Sunday. 

“We have another great challenge at Utah tomorrow,” Ardizzone added with a smile.  
 
No. 22 DePaul 4, No. 68 BYU 3
Doubles
No. 1 No. 9 Anna Redecsi/Selma Salkovic (DePaul) def. No. 27 McCall Jones/Meghan Price (BYU) 8-6
No. 2 Gia McKnight/Katarina Milinkovic (DePaul) def. Kristina Doerr/Romina Nedakovic (BYU) 8-6
No. 3 Kirsten Gambrell/Sandra Zmak (DePaul) def. Elle Carney/Chie Hayasaka (BYU) 8-6
Order of Finish: 2, 1, 3
 
Singles
No. 1 No. 77 McCall Jones (BYU) def. Anna Redecsi (DePaul) 6-2, 6-4
No. 2 Kristina Doerr (BYU) def. Selma Salkovic (DePaul) 6-0, 6-3
No. 3 Katarina Milinkovic (DePaul) def. Chie Hayasaka (BYU) 6-3, 6-2
No. 4 Romina Nedakovic (BYU) def. Sandra Zmak (DePaul) 6-4, 6-4
No. 5 Gia McKnight (DePaul) def. Elle Carney (BYU) 6-3, 7-6 (10)
No. 6. Kirsten Gambrell (DePaul) def. Aubrey Paul (BYU) 6-1, 6-3
Order of Finish: 3, 2, 1, 4, 6, 5