March 9, 2007
Final Stats
WINTER PARK, Fla. -
The Illinois State women's tennis team suffered its third straight loss on Friday and fifth in the last six matches, as the Redbirds fell to Rollins College, 6-3, at the Bert W. Martin Tennis Complex in Winter Park, Fla.
The loss drops Illinois State's record to below the .500 mark for the first time this season at 4-5. The Tars, ranked No. 20 in Division II women's tennis, improve to 8-1 on the season.
"We are struggling right now to find our identity," head coach Chris Hoover said. "We had some good matches today, but were unable to get over the hump.
"I think it is really going to help us to be able to train down here for the next couple days as we get ready for the second half of our schedule."
In doubles action, each match was worth one point and ISU could only claim a tally at the No. 3 position. Senior Matea Simovic teamed with freshman Jeanelle Stines to record their first victory this season as a duo. The Redbird team defeated Rollins' Anastasiya Shevchenko and Silvia Frandji, 8-5.
The Tars continued their stellar play in singles by earning four points with victories at the top-four spots in the lineup.
Simovic helped the Redbirds take a second point when she swept Mai-Han Nguyen, 6-2, 6-0, at the No. 6 spot. The victory evened the Quincy, Ill., native's season mark at 8-8 and improved her dual-match record to 4-2.
ISU's final victory of the day came at the No. 5 position where junior Carolyne Parent won her team-leading 13th match of the season by beating Silvia Frandji, 6-3, 6-2.
The Redbirds are off until Sat., Mar. 24 when they travel to Milwaukee, Wis., to meet Marquette at 10 a.m. at the Helfaer Tennis Stadium. ISU will return to the HTS on Sun., Mar. 25, to battle UW-Milwaukee at 10 a.m.
