Women's Tennis Upsets No. 11 Gustavus Adolphus 5-4 at Midwest Invite

MATCH 1 | MATCH 2

Madison, Wis., April 9, 2011 – The No. 17 Washington University in St. Louis women’s tennis team picked up a key regional win with a 5-4 upset over No. 11 Gustavus Adolphus College and captured third place at the 2011 Midwest Invitational on Saturday, April 9, in Madison, Wis.

The Bears, who were playing without a pair of their top six players in senior Elise Sambol and sophomore Kate Klein, fell to No. 3 University of Chicago, 5-2, earlier in the day.

Washington University edged Gustavus Adolphus 2-1 in doubles to take a crucial lead into singles competition. While freshmen Evelyn Qin and Theresa Petraskova dropped a tough 9-8 (7-4) decision to Sam Frank and Megan Gaard at No. 1 doubles, the Bears prevailed in two other close doubles contests to pick up two points.

Sophomore Paige Madara and freshman Corinne Rauck beat Marianne Barau and Alex Erickson 8-6 at No. 2 and junior Natalie Tingir partnered with sophomore Katie Helfgott at No. 3 doubles, holding off Mary Roop and Julie Bardenwerper 9-8 (8-6). Madara and Rauck improved to 6-0 as doubles partners this season while Tingir and Helfgott were paired together for the first time.

The Bears earned the split they needed at singles to come away with the narrow team victory. Tingir dispatched Gaard in three sets at No. 2, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, and Washington University also picked up wins in the No. 5 and No. 6 matches. Rauck beat Bardenwerper 7-5, 6-3 in the fifth position and Helfgott defeated Heather Annis 6-3, 7-5 at No. 6.

Against Chicago earlier in the day the Bears earned two points in singles play but then fell at No. 1 doubles to drop the match 5-2. Madara came back to beat Linden Li 2-6, 6-1, 7-5 at No. 4 and Rauck was a 7-5, 7-5 winner over Shanelle Trail in the No. 5 match.

Washington U. (12-3) returns to action on Thursday, April 14, when it travels to NAIA McKendree University in Lebanon, Ill., at 4:30 p.m.