University of Missouri
Saint Louis
Tigers Defeat Saint Louis, 6-1, Win Home Opener
1/30/2008 12:00:00 AM | Tennis
Jan. 30, 2008
Columbia, Mo. - The University of Missouri women's tennis team (1-1, 0-0 Big 12) defeated the Saint Louis Billikens (0-1, 0-0 Atlantic 10), 6-1, Wednesday inside the Green Tennis Center in Columbia.
The match served as the first home dual for several Tigers, and each new player who saw action won their singles match.
Tiger newcomer Jessica Giuggioli was the first player off the court in singles play. Giuggioli, a native of Piombino, Italy, transferred from the University of Kentucky after her fall semester, and won her first match in the Green Tennis Center Wednesday afternoon. Giuggioli got off to a slow start in her match, but she made an adjustment, deciding to play more from the baseline. Once she made the change, she took over the match, defeating Rachel McCullagh, 6-3, 6-0, in the No. 4 singles spot.
"The first (match) is always the hardest one," Giuggioli said. "But the rest will come easier, I think."
Mizzou freshman Maureen Modesto was the second to finish, making quick work of Tara Grant, 6-1, 6-1, in the No. 3 singles contest. The win was Modesto's team-leading 13th of the 2007-08 season, which includes fall action.
The Tigers, who had already won the doubles point earlier in the match, took a 3-0 lead after Modesto's win, needing only one more match victory to earn their first win of the spring.
At match point on the No. 1 singles court, Mizzou's Mallory Weber sent Billiken senior Amanda Hellberg back to the baseline with a strong serve, and when Hellberg returned it softly over the net, Weber was there to smash it down and take the victory. The win gave Weber, and the Tigers, the first win in the spring.
"I knew a couple of the other girls had already won their matches," Weber said. "So knowing that that match clinched it made me happy, that the team gets a win out of this, and I get a win out of this."
In other action, Tiger senior Chrissy Svetlic and freshman Kaitlyn Ritchie made winning look easy, taking their singles matches at No. 5 and No. 6, respectively, in straight sets.
At No. 2 singles, SLU's Hailee Elmore defeated Kaitlin Dunham in a hard-fought three-set match, 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4.
In doubles action earlier in the day, Mizzou's top duo, 43rd-ranked Svetlic and Weber, won their first match in the spring, defeating SLU's Hellberg and Grant, 8-3. The Tigers also won the No. 2 match, as Dunham and Ritchie defeated McCullagh and Miller, 8-5. SLU's duo of Elmore and Becker beat Modesto and Giuggioli, 8-1, in the No. 3 doubles match.
Despite the team's win, Tiger Head Coach Blake Starkey sees room for improvement.
"First off, we have a lot of things to work on. It is a good SLU team, and we won, but no matter which school you play, (the No. 1 and 2 singles players) are going to be pretty good. But I saw a lot of things we need to work on, and I know we won but I'm not exactly happy with the way we played."
The Tigers will have one day to prepare for UMKC, who will visit the GTC Friday afternoon at 3. After Friday's match, Syracuse comes calling Sunday at noon.
Missouri 6 Saint Louis 1
Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2007
Green Tennis Center Columbia, Mo.
Singles
1. Mallory Weber (MU) def. Amanda Hellberg (SLU), 6-4, 2-6, 6-2
2. Hailee Elmore (SLU) def. Kaitlin Dunham (MU), 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4
3. Maureen Modesto (MU) def. Tara Grant (SLU) 6-1, 6-1
4. Jessica Giuggioli (MU) def. Rachel McCullagh (SLU) 6-3, 6-0
5. Chrissy Svetlic (MU) def. Joe Becker (SLU) 6-1, 6-1
6. Kaitlyn Ritchie (MU) def. Casey Miller (SLU) 6-3, 6-0
Order of finish: 4, 3, 1*, 6, 5, 2
*Match-clinching victory
-The No. 5 and 6 singles matches started after No. 3 and 4 finished
Doubles
1. (43) Svetlic/Weber (MU) def. Hellberg/Grant (SLU), 8-3
2. Dunham/Ritchie (MU) def. McCullagh/Miller (SLU), 8-5
3. Elmore/Becker (SLU) def. Modesto/Giuggioli (MU), 8-1
Order of finish 3, 2, 1
Players Mentioned
