Young Tigers Excite and Show Promise in 07-08

Numerous highlights showcased in 2007-08.

June 4, 2008

The Mizzou women's tennis team began 2008 with one of the youngest squads in the Big 12. Further, 2008 was set to be a heavy road year as the Tigers traveled for road matches against seven Big 12 opponents, three Big 10 opponents in Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, and one SEC powerhouse in Arkansas.

The Tigers started three freshmen, two sophomores, one junior, and only one senior in a 10-14 campaign. Having played a lot over the summer, the Tiger newcomers set the tone early, proved themselves often and point to a very exciting Tiger future. While the Tigers' 4-3 win over arch-rival Kansas, with Kansas finishing fifth in league play, was an obvious highlight, there were numerous other highlights for Mizzou in the 08 campaign.

In recent years, the Tigers have become known as a dangerous force in doubles and 2008 was no exception. The Tigers won three different doubles championships in the fall collecting tournament titles at the Drake Invitational, the Maryland Terrapin Invitational and the Mizzou Invitational. In the finals of the Maryland Invitational, true freshman Mallory Weber (Bellville, Ill.) and Chrissy Svetlic (Kansas City, Mo.) took down Auburn's 22nd-ranked Fani Chifchieva and Whitney Chappell. Following the win, the Tiger pair was ranked No. 42 nationally, a ranking they held most of the year. Coach Starkey and the Tigers put a heavy focus on doubles and it showed. Once the Tigers began the dual match season, they won 15 doubles points and dropped only nine. The Tigers had seven conference matches on the road and only four at home.

After falling in their season opener on the road to nationally ranked Arkansas, the Tigers came home to win consecutive matches. Their home stint included big wins over Syracuse, Saint Louis, Xavier and Chicago State, as well as sweeps of the University of Missouri-Kansas City and Southeast Missouri State.

 

 

After taking the doubles point Mizzou went on to win five-of-six singles matches to earn itsfirst victory of the season over Saint Louis University. The home opener served as the first career win for many new Tigers. Freshman Mallory Weber impressed in her first win for Mizzou over Saint Louis University's Amanda Hellberg. Weber took care of the Saint Louis senior on what would come to be known as "her court".

The Tigers showed little struggle in the following meet, winning all nine matches to sweep the Kangaroos from UMKC. Two days later the women were in action again, easily recording another win over Syracuse, 6-1. Mizzou won all three doubles matches as Chrissy Svetlic carded her 36th career doubles victory placing her tied for 15th on Mizzou's all-time doubles wins. Weber continued winning fashion in just 40 minutes as she won all seven of her service games.

On February 9 Mizzou welcomed Xavier and Chicago State to the Green Tennis Center for a doubleheader. Winning the doubles point and five of six singles matches Mizzou went on to beat Xavier 6-1. As three of the Tigers blanked their opponents in singles the women earned their fifth victory of the season. Kaitlyn Ritchie, Sofia Ayala and Weber all posted 6-0, 6-0 wins. The following week the women hosted their second doubleheader of the season taking wins over both Illinois-Chicago and SEMO improving their record to 7-1. With the win over Saint Louis University, Southeast Missouri State University, and the University of Missouri Kansas City, the Tigers took care of business with their in-state competition.

Mizzou next traveled north for a road trip into Iowa. While the Tigers would eventually fall to the 43rd ranked Hawkeyes, it wouldn't be without a fight. While the Tigers dropped a 6-1 contest, five of the singles matches went three sets on Iowa's state-of-the-art indoor. While Chrissy Svetlic won her eighth straight singles victory, five other Tigers dropped three-set contests. The Tigers wouldn't leave the state of Iowa, however, without a win. Mizzou blanked the Drake Bulldogs in Des Moines winning all six singles matches. Drake is now coached by former Tiger standout and former assistant coach, Urska Juric.

Facing another ranked opponent Mizzou continued their trip north to take on the 54th ranked Minnesota Gophers and the Wisconsin Badgers. The Tigers gave the 54th-ranked Gophers all they could handle as they came within one point of beating their first ranked opponent of the season. With the score tied at 3 matches each, the team win came down to the No. 4 singles where Mizzou's Kaitlin Dunham faced Minnesota's Elena Kazakova. After taking the first set 6-2, Dunham took an early 4-2 lead in the second. With a vocal home crowd, Kazakova was able to come from behind to take the second set 7-6, and third, 7-5. The win clinched the meet victory for the Gophers. Even in the loss, Mallory Weber had won yet another contest at the #1 position. As the season progressed, Weber would go on to win more matches at the #1 position than anyone since Katka Sevcikova. After defeating the Badgers from Wisconsin the Tigers finished their non-conference schedule 8-4.

The Tigers would drop their next contest by the skin of their teeth to Kansas State. The Tigers would win the doubles point, and would win at #2. The remaining matches would all go Kansas State's way in three set contests, allowing Kansas State to escape with a tight 5-2 margin. Mizzou's next match, however, would be their biggest win of the season. On March 16, the women welcomed Big 12 rival and 50th ranked Kansas, to the Green Tennis Center. The Tigers took an early lead 1-0, after collecting yet another doubles point. Freshman Maureen Modesto set the pace for the women taking the first singles win. Modesto earned her 20th singles victory of the season taking down Lauren Hommell 6-4, 6-3. Jessica Giuggioli's big three-set win over Elizaveta Adeeva at No. 2 tied the team match score at 3-3. All eyes fell to the No. 6 singles match to determine the meet winner. Freshman Kaityn Ritchie used her punishing groundstrokes to defeat the Jayhawk senior Stephanie Smith in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2, for the team win. Kansas went on to have an outstanding season finishing 5th in Big 12 play. The Tigers have now defeated their Border Showdown Rival in five of the last six meetings.

The women spent the next four meets battling the Lonestar State as they faced four conference foes, three of whom were ranked in the top 35. Although Ritchie, Ayala and Modesto earned convincing wins throughout, the Tigers came up short against each Texas native team. The three Texas teams, Baylor, Texas, and Texas A&M would be the Big 12's only teams to qualify for NCAA's, with Baylor making the NCAA semifinals.

In Lincoln, Nebraska, the Tigers would face a disappointing setback. No stranger to the road at this point, the Tigers took the all-important doubles point. In singles, Sofia Ayala easily won, and the Tigers appeared in firm control of the match after taking early leads in most of the matches. However, the Huskers rebounded and the Tigers dropped tight competitions at spots one through five to give the Huskers the 5-2 victory.

Even in losses, the Tigers had been more than competitive in every match they had played up to this point. Clearly hungry for a win, the Tigers headed to Ames, Iowa. Missouri proved their talent taking every match in doubles and singles. At the No. 4 position Modesto earned her 23rd win of the spring, and Ayala was once again dominant. Weber's three-set win over Erin Karonis was what Coach Starkey called one of the best matches he had seen all year and praised both players. The 7-0 victory gave the women their second Big 12 win of the season.

Missouri paired up with 66th-ranked Oklahoma State for the first round of the Big 12 Championships. The Tigers collected their seventh Big 12 doubles point of the season, earning the doubles point by taking the No. 1 and No. 3 doubles matches. Svetlic and Weber carded their fifth win of the season over Cowgirls Sasha Belova and Jo-Anne Karaitiana, 8-5 at No. 1. As had happened all season, the Tigers were in firm control of the #5 and #6 singles matches. The Tigers were in tight competitions and appeared to only need one singles win in the top four to upset Oklahoma State in the first round. When Jessica Guiggioli dropped a tie-breaker in her second set, the Cowgirls had collected the forth point and escaped the Tigers, to move on.

With a young team and mostly on the road, the Tigers had either won, or taken numerous nationally ranked teams the distance. The Tigers have graduated Chrissy Svetlic, the 2007 Brock Olivio Award Winner (award is for hard work), and will sorely miss her. However, the Tigers are looking forward to the arrival of Jamie Mera, one of the top players in the state of Florida. Academically, Mera was #2 in her graduating class at Chamberlain High School (salutatorian). She won the Florida state doubles championships, and was runner-up in the Florida state singles championships. The Tigers are also anticipate the arrival of one more newcomer next season. These Tigers return solid experience for 2009, are playing a lot over the summer, and are looking forward to getting 2009 underway. While exciting, it is never easy, as Coach Starkey will once again test his Tigers with an extremely tough schedule loaded with nationally ranked opponents. For 2008, however, the young Tigers were exciting to watch and showed tremendous fight all season long. All had successful campaigns pointing to a bright future.

Four Tigers Named To Academic All-Big 12 Team

04/19/2009 - W. Tennis

On Friday afternoon the Big 12 Conference announced their choices for the 2009 Academic All-Big 12 Tennis Team. Four Missouri players were recognized on the teams, Mallory Weber, Maureen Modesto, Jessica Giuggioli and Kaitlyn Ritchie.

Tigers Drop Heartbreaker, 4-3

04/17/2009 - W. Tennis

The 71st-ranked Missouri Tigers (7-11, 3-7 Big 12) hosted No. 73 Nebraska (13-6, 5-4 Big 12) on Friday (April 17).

Mizzou Finishes Regular Season At Home

04/16/2009 - W. Tennis

Coach Blake Starkey and the Missouri Tigers (7-10, 3-6 Big 12) welcome the University of Nebraska (12-6, 4-4 Big 12) on Friday (April 17), play begins at 5:00 p.m. and the Iowa State Cyclones (10-10, 1-8 Big 12) on Sunday (April 19), with play beginning at 1:00 p.m.

Colorado Snags Doubles Point, Match, 4-3

04/11/2009 - W. Tennis

The 68th-ranked Missouri tennis team (7-10, 3-6 Big 12) came up just shy in doubles competition falling to the Colorado Buffaloes (10-7, 6-2 Big 12), 4-3, on Saturday afternoon.

Tigers Host Buffaloes

04/10/2009 - W. Tennis

The Missouri tennis team (7-9, 3-5 Big 12) welcomes the University of Colorado (9-7, 5-2 Big 12) to the Green Tennis Center on Saturday for dual competition.