Women's Tennis Runs Win Streak To 10 Matches

March 11, 2005

KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. - The Michigan State women's tennis team won its 10th straight match, completing a three-match trip to Florida with a 5-2 victory over Richmond (4-6). The Spartans, who improved to 10-2 overall, played Friday's match at the Crandon Park Tennis Center, which is home to the NASDAQ-100 Open - one of the top events on the professional tennis circuit.

The Spartans opened the match by winning the doubles point for the 11th straight time this season. At No. 2 doubles, sophomore Sarah Andrews and junior Shelley Brady claimed an 8-2 victory over Richmond's team of Courtney Klein and Robin Carter. The Spartan No. 1 duo of freshman Christine Bader and senior Keri Thompson fell by an 8-6 score, but the Spartans won the No. 3 match by default as Richmond had just five available players, giving the Spartans the first point.

In singles, Bader rolled to a 6-4, 6-2 win at No. 2 over Carter, while sophomore Pascale Schnitzer earned a 6-2, 6-1 victory at No. 3 against Klein. Sophomore Jessica Baron, from nearby Miami, won a 6-1, 6-0 decision at No. 5 against the Spiders' Jelena Zivanovic, while the Spartans' fifth point came by default at No. 6. Thompson lost a tough 7-5, 7-6(2) match at No. 1, while Brady fell at No. 4, 6-3, 6-3.

"This last match, we played our best tennis of the three matches on our spring trip," said MSU head coach Tim Bauer. "It was our goal to be 3-0 in Florida and to be 10-2 at this point of the season. Even in losing, Keri and Shelley probably played their best tennis. We had a solid performance from Jessica Baron, who's a hometown kid, so that was great for her to win at home. Bader and Schnitzer, as well, really came through for us.

"It was a great trip," added Bauer. "We continued one of the longest winning streaks in the history of Michigan State women's tennis, and we're looking forward to trying to continue it when we open the Big Ten season against Michigan."

Michigan State visits Ann Arbor to battle the Wolverines in the Big Ten opener March 23 at 6 p.m.

Michigan State 5, Richmond 2March 11, 2005Key Biscayne, Fla.
SinglesNo. 1 - Lindsay Cox (UR) def. Keri Thompson (MSU), 7-5, 7-6(2)No. 2 - Christine Bader (MSU) def. Robin Carter (UR), 6-4, 6-2No. 3 - Pascale Schnitzer (MSU) def. Courtney Klein (UR), 6-2, 6-1No. 4 - Meghan Wolfgram (UR) def. Shelley Brady (MSU), 6-3, 6-3No. 5 - Jessica Baron (MSU) def. Jelena Zivanovic (UR), 6-1, 6-0No. 6 - Sarah Andrews (MSU) won by default
DoublesNo. 1 - Cox/Wolfgram (UR) def. Bader/Thompson (MSU), 8-6No. 2 - Andrews/Brady (MSU) def. Klein/Carter (UR), 8-2No. 3 - Gustafson/Schnitzer (MSU) won by default