DePaul University
Marquette - Third Place
Blue Demons Take Third at BIG EAST Championship
5/1/2011 12:00:00 AM | WOMEN'S TENNIS
May 1, 2011
NOTRE DAME, Ind. - The DePaul women's tennis team used several strong singles performances to claim third place at the BIG EAST Championship on Sunday at Notre Dame's Courtney Tennis Center. The Blue Demons topped Marquette 4-3 and finish the season 15-11.
"Just a tremendous effort by the team today," Blue Demon head coach Mark Adrizzone said after claiming the hard-fought and dual between the two rivals.
"I have so much respect for Marquette and how hard that team plays."
Marquette won the doubles point by winning on the first and third courts which meant DePaul had to come through in singles.
"We showed a lot of heart to come back after doubles. Gia (McKnight) was awesome the whole tournament, and our two freshmen - Kelsey (Lawson) and Christiana (Raymond) really stepped up today," Ardizzone added.
Lawson, who finished 7-1 against BIG EAST opponents this season, swept Rachael Hush - 6-0, 6-0 and finished her freshman season with a team-best 27-15 record.
Lawson's win knotted the score at one apiece, before Marquette (19-11) won on the fifth court.
With the pressure on Gia McKnight, who really led the Blue Demons down the stretch, gritted out a 6-1, 7-5 win on the second court to again tie up the score. McKnight, who won five or her last seven matches, finishes the season 21-19 record.
Like a see-saw, the back-and-fourth dual continued with Marquette taking the match on the sixth court and needed just one more win to claim victory.
Raymond tied the match with a 6-4, 6-1 win on the fourth court. The Blue Demon freshman avenged an earlier loss to the Marquette's Jillian Hush and claimed her 23rd win in her inaugural season.
With the match on the line, it was only appropriate that it came down to Katarina Milinkovic on the top court, who was playing in her final match in a DePaul uniform. The senior captain did not disappoint as she clinched the match with an exciting 6-4, 6-2 win over Olga Fischer.
"What a way for Katarina to end her career -- winning the last match against Marquette. She and Selma (Salkovic) gave so much to this program and took us to amazing heights. I am so honored to have coached them," Ardizzone said in closing.
Milinkovic finishes her career with 94-42 mark in singles while she was 76-51 in doubles.
Salkovic completes her career as DePaul's most decorated doubles player - becoming the first Blue Demon along with her partner Anna Redecsi to represent DePaul at the NCAA Doubles tournament and win the ITA Midwest Regional last season. Salkovic finishes her career with an impressive 116-51 mark in doubles action.
The Blue Demons have finished in the top three in the last three BIG EAST Championships. DePaul took second in the last two seasons, while it took fourth in 2006 and 2008.
DePaul 4, Marquette 3
Doubles:
No. 1 #68 Christina Ruiz/Rachael Hush (MU) def. Katarina Milinkovic/Selma Salkovic (DPU), 8-4
No. 2 Gia McKnight/Kelsey Lawson (DPU) vs. Olga Fischer/Rocio Diaz (MU), 6-7 DNF
No. 3 Gillian Hush/Chelsea Utting (MU) def. Cali Gustafson/Christina Raymond (DPU), 8-5*
Order of Finish: 1, 3*
Singles:
No. 1 Katarina Milinkovic (DPU) def. Olga Fischer (MU), 6-4, 6-2*
No. 2 Gia McKnight (DPU) def. Paola Calderon (MU), 6-1, 7-5
No. 3 Kelsey Lawson (DPU) def. Rachael Hush (MU), 6-0, 6-0
No. 4 Christiana Raymond (DPU) def. Gillian Hush (MU), 6-4, 6-1
No. 5 Christina Ruiz (MU) def. Cali Gustafson (DPU) 6-2, 6-3
No. 6 Chelsea Utting (MU) Samantha Kaneta (DPU), 6-3, 6-2
Order of Finish: 3, 5, 2, 6, 4, 1*
Duration of Match: 3:15
