SIU women’s tennis advances to championship match, men knocked out

Junior Ana Sofia Cordero prepares for a hit during practice Thursday, April 30, 2016, at Sportsblast in the Garden Grove Event Center in Carbondale. (Daily Egyptian file photo)

Junior Ana Sofia Cordero prepares for a hit during practice Thursday, April 30, 2016, at Sportsblast in the Garden Grove Event Center in Carbondale. (Daily Egyptian file photo)

By Jacob Gaertner, @JGaertnerDE

The SIU men’s and women’s tennis teams had different views of Drake during Saturday’s matches at the Missouri Valley Conference team championships.

The women’s tennis team beat No. 3 Drake 4-1 to advance to the MVC championship match, and the men lost to No. 4 Drake 4-0 in the semifinals. 

The women’s team started off winning the doubles point thanks to a win from juniors Ana Sofia Cordero and Xiwei Cai, as well as from sophomore Vitoria Beirao and junior Meagan Monaghan.

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Sophomore Athena Crysanthou and junior Polina Dosortseva’s doubles game were unfinished.

The women wrapped up the day with singles wins from Cai, Cordero and freshman Katie Fries.

Crysanthou lost her singles match and Monaghan and Dosortseva’s matches went unfinished.

The women match up with No. 1 Wichita State for the MVC crown at 1 p.m. Sunday.

The men’s team lost in quick fashion, losing the doubles point and three singles points in only two sets each.

Sophomores Peter Molloy and Daniel Martinez doubles match was the only win for the Salukis, giving the point to Drake.

Martinez, sophomore Alex Pozo and junior Piotr Baranski all lost their singles contests, giving the sweep to Drake.

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Senior Jonny Rigby’s singles matchup went unfinished and he lost his doubles appearance with Baranski.

Rigby had a 77-37 singles record in his four seasons at SIU en route to All-Conference selections in each of his first three seasons.

The Lancashire, England native ends his Saluki career as No. 1 in program history for doubles wins and No. 2 for combined wins.

Drake will take on Wichita State in the men’s championship match at 10 a.m. Sunday. 

Jacob Gaertner can be reached at [email protected] or at 618-536-3303.

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