Bears Shock Division II No. 19 Drury, 7-2

RESULTS

Springfield, Mo., February 6, 2011 – The No. 16 ranked Washington University in St. Louis women’s tennis team opened its 2011 season with a 7-2 victory over NCAA Division II No. 19 Drury University on Sunday afternoon at the Cooper Tennis Complex in Springfield, Mo.

“We now understand how important doubles play is and to come out with three points today was key,” said sixth-year head coach Kelly Stahlhuth. “Our team just went out today and played hard. They were very relaxed.”

Washington U. swept through doubles play to build a commanding 3-0 lead. Junior Natalie Tingir and sophomore Kate Klein (No. 1, 8-5), freshmen Evelyn Qin and Betsy Edershile (No. 2, 8-6) and senior Elise Sambol and freshman Theresa Petraskova (No. 3, 8-4) each picked up victories for the Bears.

With three freshmen being involved in doubles victories, the rookies stepped up again in singles picking up three of four victories for the Bears. Edershile lost just one game in a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Abbey Sharpe at No. 3, followed by a 6-4, 6-3 win by Qin over Valentine Lambrechts at No. 4. Petraskova defeated Alana Bellinger at No. 5, 6-4, 2-1, retired, and then Sambol picked up the other singles victory for Washington U., a 6-2, 6-3 win over Ellen Bennett at No. 6.

"It was a whole new environment for the freshmen,” said Stahlhuth on the play of the freshmen. “They are a focused group, knew what they had to do, and they got the job done.”

Drury (0-2) has won four-straight Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) titles, and made four-straight appearances in the NCAA Division II Championship.

Washington University (1-0) will face another national ranked opponent when the Bears take on Division III No. 4 ranked University of Chicago on Saturday, Feb. 19, at 2 p.m., in Belleville, Ill.