DePaul University

KALAMAZOO, Mich. The No. 41 DePaul women’s tennis team defeated No. 61 Western Michigan, 5-2.  The Blue Demons improve to an overall record of 12-2, while the Broncos fall to 10-4.

DePaul started off strong, quickly winning the first two out of three doubles matches for the point.  Dunja Antunovic and Katarina Milinkovic were the first to finish with an 8-1win over Ashley Moccia and Jenny Nalepa.  Selma Salkovic and Anna Redecsi’s current win-streak stands at six with an overall record of 14-1 after defeating Emily Dudzik and Yumi Matsuto, 8-2, to clinch the doubles point.

Salkovic and Sandra Zmak put the Blue Demons up 3-0 after a straight-set singles-wins over Nalepa and Moccia, respectively.  The Broncos began to set the stage for a comeback, however, when Kerstin Pahl defeated Antunovic in the No. 1 match.

The comeback was put to a halt when Redecsi clinched the winning point for DePaul in her narrow victory over Dudzik.  After winning the first set, 6-2, Dudzik rallied to edge out Redecsi in the second set, 7-6 (5).  After the break, Dudzik eventually bowed out, as Redecsi took the third set, 7-6 (3).

Milinkovic was able to come out of a three-set battle victorious, beating Rachel Denny 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, while McKnight dropped a heartbreaking three-set marathon match.  She and Moccia were so evenly matched it took three sets, and three tiebreakers to decide a winner.

The team returns to the court next weekend for a three-match home stand.  On Friday, March 6 they welcome Illinois State to the Lakeshore Athletic Club.  The Blue Demons entertain Drake and Western Illinois on Saturday.

By the numbers:  The Blue Demons have opened their dual season with a combined singles record of 57-12 and a combined doubles record of 27-10...  Gia McKnight leads the Blue Demons with 22 singles-match wins... with the win over Western Michgian, Coach Mark Ardizzone’s career record now stands a 218-120... on February 19, 2009 the ITA award the team with the highest rank in DePaul history: No. 41 which still stands as their current rank... six student-athletes have reached the double-digit singles-win total so far this season... Selma Salkovic leads the team with 25 doubles victories which have been earned with five different teammates.

#41 DePaul 5, #61 Western Michigan 2
Mar 1, 2009 at Kalamazoo, Mich. (West Hills Athletic Club)

Singles competition
1. Kerstin Pahl (WMU) def. #111 Dunja Antunovic (DU) 4-6, 6-2, 6-1
2. Anna Redecsi (DU) def. Emily Dudzik (WMU) 6-2, 6-7 (5-7), 7-6 (7-3)*
3. Selma Salkovic (DU) def. Jenny Nalepa (WMU) 6-1, 6-2
4. Sandra Zmak (DU) def. Amanda Moccia (WMU) 6-2, 6-3
5. Ashley Moccia (WMU) def. Gia McKnight (DU) 7-6 (7-3), 6-7 (6-8),
7-6 (7-3)
6. Katarina Milinkovic (DU) def. Rachel Denny (WMU) 4-6, 6-3, 7-5

Doubles competition
1. Anna Redecsi/Selma Salkovic (DU) def. Emily Dudzik/Yumi Matsuto (WMU) 8-2
2. Dunja Antunovic/Katarina Milinkovic (DU) def. Ashley Moccia/Jenny Nalepa (WMU) 8-1
3. Amanda Moccia/Kerstin Pahl (WMU) def. Kirsten Gambrell/Gia McKnight (DU) 8-5

Match Notes:
DePaul 12-2; National ranking #41
Western Michigan 10-4; National ranking #61

Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (3,4,1,2*,6,5)
*Denotes clinching match
Total Match Time-4:11