Cyclones Send Five To Singles Semifinals

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Iowa State went 5-2 in singles action to highlight its first day at the Gopher Invitational Friday at the Baseline Tennis Center.

Iowa State was strong in singles action, including a 2-0 showing in the top draw. Maty Cancini defeated Drake's Carmen Palumbo, 6-2, 6-0, to advance to the semifinals where she will face Minnesota's Tina Kreinis on Saturday.

In the other half of the top bracket, freshman Christin Hsieh opened her singles career with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Iowa's Cloe Ruette. Hsieh will face Minnesota's Tiffany Huber on Saturday.

In Draw B, freshman Ting-Pei Chang beat Milwaukee's Mayya Perova, 6-1, 6-3, to advance to face Cammy Frei of Minnesota.

Chie Kezuka earned a hard-fought 6-2, 5-7, 7-5 win against North Dakota's Kaede Amano and faces Minnesota's Juliet Zhang on Saturday.

Iowa State's other win in Friday singles action came from freshman Oumaima Aziz, who beat Nikki Milner of Milwaukee, 6-3, 6-1, to give ISU's four competing freshmen a 4-0 record in their first singles matches of the season.

After a tough start to doubles play, the Cyclones bounced back going 2-1 in their second set of matches. Doubles were highlighted by the duo of senior Margarita Timakova and the freshman Kezuka defeating the Iowa pair of Danielle Burich and Erika Dodridge, 6-4.

The Cyclones return to action tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. at the Baseline Tennis Center.

Friday Results
Doubles – First Round
Danielle Bauers/Ashleigh Jacobs (Iowa) def. Maty Cancini/Christin Hsieh (ISU), 6-1
Carmen Palumbo/Maria Tatarnikova (Drake) def. Margarita Timakova/Chie Kezuka (ISU), 6-1
Nina Zdravkovic/Kaede Amano (North Dakota) def. Ting-Pei Chang/Oumaima Aziz (ISU), 6-1

Second Round
Liza Petushkova/Megan Webb (Drake) def. Cancini/Hsieh (ISU), 6-2
Timakova/Kezuka (ISU) def. Danielle Burich/Erika Dodridge (Iowa), 6-4
Chang/Aziz (ISU) vs. Nicole Clarke/Anika Tylek (Milwaukee), 6-3

Singles – First Round
Draw A
Cancini (ISU) def. Palumbo (Drake), 6-2, 6-0
Hsieh (ISU) def. Cloe Ruette (Iowa), 6-4, 6-1

Draw B
Chang (ISU) def. Mayya Perova (Milwaukee), 6-1, 6-3

Draw C
Kezuka (ISU) def. Amano (North Dakota), 6-2, 5-7, 7-5
Bauers (Iowa) def. Timakova (ISU), 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-2

Draw D
Aziz (ISU) def. Nikki Milner (Milwaukee), 6-3, 6-1

Draw E
Nicole Clarke (Milwaukee) def. Karen Alvarez (ISU), 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (4)

Players Mentioned

Karen Alvarez

Oumaima Aziz

Maty Cancini

Ting-Pei Chang

Christin Hsieh

Chie Kezuka

Margarita Timakova

Sponsors

Iowa State University Athletics