Tigers Tame Wildcats In Manhattan, 4-3

Saturday, March 21

Manhattan, Kan.

University of Missouri

Kansas State

3/21/2009 12:00:00 AM | Tennis

March 21, 2009

Columbia, Mo. - The visiting Tigers (6-5, 2-1 Big 12) claimed a 4-3 decision on the road over host Kansas State (3-6, 0-2 Big 12) today in Manhattan, Kan. Missouri narrowly dropped the doubles point, but came back strong in singles. The ladies took singles victories at No. 2, No. 3, No. 5, and No. 6 to claim the team win. The Wildcats claimed hard-fought wins at No. 1 and No. 4.

With the team score knotted at three a piece, the final point came down to Mizzou's Mallory Weber and Kansas State's Nina Sertic at the No. 2 position. With a precision serve and volley attack, Weber claimed the first set 6-4, and led 5-2 in the second. Sertic mounted a solid comeback to lead 6-5, and threatened to take the deciding match into a third set. Weber broke Sertic's serve at love to force a second set tiebreaker. She then defeated Sertic 7-5 in the second set tiebreaker to claim the team win.

"We made this interesting today," said coach Blake Starkey. "But it was a gut-check match on the road against a very solid Kansas State team, for whom we respect. I'm proud of how we bounced back following another doubles point that we controlled, but just got away from us there at the end. We played well enough to win it (the doubles point), but just didn't close out some key points, so give Kansas State credit. In singles, we were flat at one and four, but Kansas State competed really well in the wind at those spots, and that had a lot to do with it. When their top kid (Aneta Huljev) is on, she is a very, very good player, and she was pretty good today. But I couldn't be more proud of the fight and guts Mallory Weber showed out there today. She's had some tough ones lately, but she's grown a lot as a result. I can't think of anyone more deserving to be in that position today than her, and I'm very happy for her. We've got a lot of fighters, but we still haven't played our best team match yet, and we know it. Hopefully, that's coming before the season's over."

The Tigers will be back in action tomorrow as they travel to Lawrence, Kan., where they will take on the Kansas Jayhawks (7-6, 1-1 Big 12) Sunday, play begins at 11 a.m.

Complete results will be published when available.