ISU tennis splits weekend in Milwaukee

Max Dible

The ISU tennis team (4-2, 0-0 Big 12) split a dual meet in Milwaukee this weekend. Iowa State lost to Marquette 5-2 on Friday, but bounced back strong with a 6-1 victory against Wisconsin-Milwaukee on Saturday afternoon.

The Cyclones came out swinging in their first meet of the weekend, as junior Ksenia Pronina and freshman Samantha Budai took No. 1 doubles against Marquette’s Ana Pimienta and Ali Dawson, 6-2.

Junior Meghan Cassens and sophomore Ana Gasparovic were defeated at No. 2 doubles by Erin Gebes and Rocio Diaz, 6-1.

That left the point to be decided by freshman Lydia Green and senior Emma Waites at No. 3 doubles, who fell short to Marquette’s Vanessa Foltinger and Aleeza Kanner, 6-4.

Budai tallied the first ISU point of the meet at No. 2 singles, defeating Erin Gebes, 6-2, 6-1. The only other ISU point was scored by Waites at No. 6 singles, where she handled Kanner 6-3, 6-3.

The closest match of the day took place at No. 1 singles, as Marquette’s Pimienta defeated Pronina in a superbreak, 4-6, 7-5, 1-0 (4).

Green also lost a closely contested match versus Diaz at No. 5 singles, who ultimately won the point for Marquette, 7-5, 6-4.

Marquette rounded out its 5-2 win with victories against Cassnes and Gasparovic at the No. 3 and No. 4 spots, respectively.

Iowa State returned to the court Saturday and ousted Wisconsin-Milwaukee in the second meet of the weekend by a score of 6-1.

Pronina and Budai breezed to victory at No. 1 doubles over UWM players Diana Tokar and Christina Colarossi, 6-2.

Junior Caroline Andersen teamed up with Waites at No. 3 doubles but lost handily to Dana Shannon and Aerielle Pendleton, 6-1.

The loss proved insignificant, as Cassens and Gasparovic clinched the point for Iowa State at No. 2 doubles, defeating Haley Marshall and Alyssa Straub, 6-3.

Pronina rolled at No. 1 singles, dropping Tokar easily, 6-1, 6-2. Budai stayed perfect on the weekend, shutting down Aerielle Penleton, at the No. 2 spot, 6-2, 6-2.

Cassens scored the fourth Cyclone point, clinching the meet at the No. 3 spot with a shutout of Marshall, 6-0, 6-0.

Gasparovic and Waites added some drama to a meet already won, as they both were pushed to third set superbreaks where both ultimately claimed victory.

The only loss of the meet for Iowa State came at No. 5 singles, as Green fell to Straub, 6-1, 6-0.

The Cyclones will hit the courts again at 12 p.m. Feb. 14 in Miami to square off with Florida Atlantic.