Cyclones Take Down Milwaukee, 5-0

Sunday, March 1

Ames, Iowa

9:00 AM

Iowa State

Wisconsin-Milwaukee

03.01.2015 | Tennis

By: cyclones.com

AMES, Iowa- The Iowa State tennis team ended its four-match losing streak Sunday with a win over Milwaukee, 5-0. The win was a needed one for Iowa State (3-5, 0-1 Big 12) after returning from a disappointing trip to Minneapolis.

“It was a lot of tennis in the last three days,” head coach Armando Espinosa said. “We came out and played pretty well.”

Senior Meghan Cassens continues to impress in her final season as a Cyclone. The Tacoma, Washington, native has won her last five matches, including over then-No. 33 Oklahoma.

"Meghan is playing really well,” Espinosa said. “She's really comfortable with what she's doing, so she's just staying in there and playing her game. After that, I think that [Ksenia Pronina] is playing really well, I think Sami [Budai] is playing really well. When you're playing at the top positions, you have to be at the top of your game every time.”

Doubles wins were crucial for the Cyclones against the Panthers. After a loss at No. 3, senior Meghan Cassens and junior Alejandra Galvis earned a win at No. 2 doubles over Chelsea Bailey and Hayley Marshall, 6-0. Budai and Pronina clinched the doubles point with a win over Christina Colarossi and Alysa Straub, 6-3.

The Cyclones came out firing on all cylinders in singles, with Galvis leading the team out of the gate. The Lindsey Wilson College transfer quickly took down Dana Shannon, 6-0, 6-0.

“Alejandra has had match points in the last few matches as well, so she could have been on a five-win streak as well,” Espinosa said. “It's just one of those things with this new clinching system. Even though it helps being done early and trying to save your body, it doesn't help some records situations.”

Pronina finally beat the clinching point to finish her match over Alysa Straub, 6-1, 6-0, and put the Cyclones one point closer to a win. With matches finishing nearly simultaneously, Cassens defeated Marshall at No. 3 singles, 6-1, 6-0, and Budai defeated Bailey at No. 1, 6-4, 6-0.

“Hopefully this gives us some confidence [going into Drake,]” Espinosa said. “They're going to be a tough team.”

The Cyclones will get a breather before taking on Drake in Des Moines on Friday.

Iowa State 5, Milwaukee 0
Singles competition
Order of finish: 4, 2, 3, 1
1. Budai, Samantha (ISU) def. BAILEY, Chelsea (UWM) 6-4, 6-0
2. Pronina, Ksenia (ISU) def. STRAUB, Alysa (UWM) 6-1, 6-0
3. Cassens, Meghan (ISU) def. MARSHALL, Hayley (UWM) 6-1, 6-0
4. Galvis, Alejandra (ISU) def. SHANNON, Dana (UWM) 6-0, 6-0
5. Phippen, Natalie (ISU) vs. MERAR, Mardee (UWM) 6-4, 3-2, unfinished
6. Andersen, Caroline (ISU) vs. COLAROSSI, Christina (UWM) 0-1, unfinished
Doubles competition
Order of finish: 3, 2, 1
1. Budai, Samantha/Pronina, Ksenia (ISU) def. COLAROSSI, Christina/STRAUB, Alysa (UWM) 6-3
2. Cassens, Meghan/Galvis, Alejandra (ISU) def. BAILEY, Chelsea/MARSHALL, Hayley (UWM) 6-0
3. MERAR, Mardee/SHANNON, Dana (UWM) def. Andersen, Caroline/Phippen, Natalie (ISU) 6-1