Southern Illinois University
Youngstown St
Women's Tennis Defeats Youngstown State, 7-0
03/09/2004 | 12:00:00 | Women's Tennis
March 9, 2004
By Josh Magill
www.SIUSalukis.com
Orlando, Fla. - It was a debut of sorts for sophomore Kari Stark as she stepped on the court during a dual tennis match for the first time in more than year. Stark won both a singles and doubles match to help the Saluki women's tennis team defeat Youngstown State, 7-0.
Southern Illinois University took the doubles point with a sweep of the three doubles matches. Stark and Natalie Crothers capped off the sweep with an 8-4 win against Andrea Dixon and Sarah Evans.
Stark's win at the No. 6 spot against Dixon, 6-1, 6-1, was icing on the cake as SIU posted wins at every singles position. The team win increases the Salukis record to 4-3 this season.
Team leader, senior Alejandra Blanco, chalked up a win against Whitney Thomas, 6-2, 6-2, at the No. 1 spot, while sister Maria Blanco, a sophomore, won at No. 2 against Heather Hagood by a score of 6-1, 6-2.
Seniors Jessica Knitter and Tana Trapani continued the Dawg's success with wins at the No. 3 and 4 spots, while sophomore Zuzana Palovic added to her five wins this spring with a victory at the No. 5 position. Trapani's win was her 14th of the season.
The win puts head coach Judy Auld just two victories away from the 400-win mark while at the helm of the Saluki women's tennis team.
SIU finishes its road trip to Florida on Thursday, March 11, when it meets Syracuse. Last season, Syracuse pulled off the win against the Salukis.
Results of the match can be found at www.SIUSalukis.com.
SIU def. Youngstown State - 7-0
Doubles:
No. 1 M.Blanco/Knitter (SIU) def. Peretti/Najbert (YSU) 8-3
No. 2 A.Blanco/ Trapani (SIU) def. Muzechuk/Thomas (YSU) 8-1
No. 3 Stark/Crothers (SIU) def. Sarah Evans/Dixon (YSU) 8-4
Singles:
No. 1 Alejandra Blanco (SIU) def. Whitney Thomas (YSU) 6-2, 6-2
No. 2 Maria Blanco (SIU) def. Heather Hagood (YSU) 6-1, 6-2
No. 3 Jessica Knitter (SIU) def. Karen Najbert (YSU) 6-4, 6-2
No. 4 Tana Trapani (SIU) def. Gina Peretti (YSU) 6-2, 6-0
No. 5 Zuzana Palovic (SIU) def. Nicole Muzechuk (YSU) 4-6, 6-2, 10-3
No. 6 Kari Stark (SIU) def. Andrea Dixon (YSU) 6-1, 6-1
