Cyclones Bow Out in First Round

WACO, Texas - The Iowa State women's tennis team fell to Nebraska in the opening round of the 2006 Big 12 Women's Tennis Championship Thursday afternoon.

"Nebraska is obviously a very strong team and you know we are disappointed that we couldn't come up with a win. But our team played hard," ISU head coach Michele Conlon said. "We picked up a couple of sets that we didn't before and we won a doubles match that we didn't win last time."

Cyclone sophomores Chrissy Derouin and Caitlin Loprinzi captured the lone doubles win at No. 3 doubles. The duo defeated Vanessa Heute and Ellinor Zugner 8-4. Nebraska defeated ISU in No. 1 and 2 doubles to gain the 1-0 advantage.

ISU (4-14, 0-12 Big 12) showed signs of a comeback in singles action, when redshirt junior Eve Soriano and freshman Kara Hickey both won their first sets, 6-3. Soriano was well on her way of capturing her second set, up 4-1 while Hickey was down in her second set 5-1. However Nebraska ended ISU's run by claiming victory in the No. 1, 3 and 5 singles matches, capturing the 4-0 victory.

"I really want to congratulate Nebraska not only on today's win but on the excellent season they have had," Conlon said.

Nebraska will face fourth-seeded Texas Tech tomorrow.

2006 Big 12 Championships - First Round
Nebraska: 4 Iowa State: 0

Singles (Order of Finish: 5, 3, 1)
1. Kim Hartmann (NU) def. Jill Palen (ISU), 6-1, 6-2
2. Imke Reimers (NU) vs. Kara Hickey (ISU), DNF
3. Milena Schulz-Gartner (NU) def. Caitlin Loprinzi, 6-2, 6-1
4. Vanessa Heute vs. Elizabeth Chermel (ISU), DNF
5. Pamela Castillejos (NU) def. Chrissy Derouin (ISU), 6-0, 6-3
6. Jennifer Cremiux (NU) vs. Eve Soriano (ISU), DNF

Doubles (Order of Finish: 1, 2, 3)
1. Reimers/Castillejos (NU) def. Palen/Soriano (ISU), 8-1
2. Schulz-Gartner/Hartmann (NU) def. Chermel/Hickey (ISU), 8-4
3. Loprinzi/Derouin (ISU) def. Heute/Ellinor Zugner (NU), 8-4

Players Mentioned

Elizabeth Chermel

Chrissy Derouin

Kara Hickey

Caitlin Loprinzi

Jill Palen

Eve Soriano

Sponsors

Iowa State University Athletics