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Iowa State University Athletics
Friday, March 13
Ames, Iowa
1:00 PM
Iowa State
4
vs
3
Kansas State
Hickey Leads ISU to First Big 12 Win Since 2002
03.13.2009 | Tennis
AMES, Iowa ? Leave it to Kara Hickey. Iowa State's tennis team under first-year head coach Armando Espinosa turned a page Friday, beating Kansas State 4-3 at the Ames Racquet and Fitness Center for the Cyclones' first Big 12 Conference victory in 79 matches of league play. Hickey, the team's lone senior, beat KSU's Natasha Vieria 6-7 (7-4), 6-2 and 7-5 in the day's final match as ISU won a Big 12 tennis competition for the first time since March 2, 2002. The Cyclones are now 8-3 overall and 1-1 in the Big 12 this season.
Hickey, who had overcome a serious knee injury suffered last fall to be able to play this spring, struggled to articulate her emotions after the victory.
“It's kind of hard to find words," Hickey said. "We have been wanting it for so long and have worked so hard. It is kind of like a dream come true. You don't know how to react. I have to give credit to everyone else, they fought hard too, and it's a good feeling because this is my senior year.”
There was plenty of credit to go around. Cyclone Liza Wischer continued her winning ways, earning a 7-6 (7-4), 6-3 win over Petra Chuda. Wischer is now 11-0 this season. Iowa State's Erin Karonis defeated Kansas State's Antea Huljev in singles play 6-3, 6-1. ISU freshman Maria Fernanda Macedo recorded a 6-2, 6-1 victory over KSU's Nina Sertic.
“It was a great match either way,” Espinosa said. “We played and competed really hard. It was great that Kara Hickey could finish it in her senior year. The program's first conference win in six years feels great.”
In doubles action, Iowa State lost a point with a close match between ISU's Tessa Lang and Wischer and Kansas State's Antea Huljev and Petra Chuda. In a tiebreaker, Iowa State lost 9(7-2)-8. Macedo and Marie-Christine Chartier earned an 8-4 win over KSU's Vanessa Cottin and Mariya Slupska.
The Cyclones will continue play Saturday at the Ames Racquet and Fitness Center at 3:30 p.m. against Kansas.
Doubles Results
#1 Katerina Kudlackova/ Nina Sertic (KSU) def. Erin Karonis/ Kara Hickey (ISU) 8-5
#2 Maria Fernanda Macedo/ Marie-Christine Chartier (ISU) def. Vanessa Cottin/ Mariya Slupska (KSU) 8-4
#3 Antea Huljev/ Petra Chuda def. Tessa Lang/Liza Wischer (KSU) 9(7-2)-8
Singles Results
#1 Erin Karonis (ISU) def. Antea Huljev (KSU) 6-3, 6-1
#2 Maria Fernanda Macedo (ISU) def. Nina Sertic (KSU) 6-2, 6-1
#3 Vanessa Cottin (KSU) def. Tessa Lang (ISU) 6-4, 6-2
#4 Mariya Slupska (KSU) def. Marie-Christine Chartier (ISU) 6-4, 6-4
#5 Liza Wischer (ISU) def. Petra Chuda (KSU) 7(7-4)-6, 6-3
#6 Kara Hickey (ISU) def. Natasha Vieira (KSU) 7(7-4)-6, 6-2, 7-5
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