ST. PETER, Minn. – The Creighton women’s tennis team captured their first win of the season with a 6-1 win over Minnesota State-Mankato on Saturday morning at the Swanson Tennis Center in St. Peter, Minn.
The Bluejays move to 1-2 on the year with the win, while the Mavericks fell to 0-1 overall.
“This was a good challenge for us today and we had to fight through some good play on the other side of the net,” said head coach Tom Lilly. “Valerie’s opponent played some great tennis and Valerie responded well to earn the second set. She had to sit out for over two months with a broken foot and she has struggled to get back into her strong playing self but that will come with more matches. She showed her real game in the second set, so I’m not worried about her. She’s as hard of a worker as there is.”
Creighton opened the match with a pair of victories at the top two doubles positions to earn the doubles point for the first time this season. Valerie Negin and Bianca Rademacher paired up for a 6-4 win at the top doubles position, while Malvika Shukla and Ana Paula Martinez clinched the doubles point with a 6-1 win on the No. 2 doubles point. Allison Wilcox and Annika Elvestrom would then complete the doubles sweep with a tight 6-4 victory at the No. 3 doubles spot.
Rademacher carried the Bluejays early momentum into single play, where she earned a 6-4, 6-0 straight-sets win at the No. 3 singles position. Shukla then followed with a 6-2, 6-2 victory at the top singles position to give Creighton a 3-0 advantage.
Martinez then clinched the overall match for the Bluejays after capturing a 6-4, 6-2 straight-sets victory at the No. 4 singles position. Elvestrom also secured a 6-0, 3-6, 6-2 three-set win at the No. 5 singles position for the Bluejays.
Minnesota State picked up their lone win of the day at the No. 2 singles position as Freia Lawrence picked up a 6-4, 1-6, 12-10 over Negin, before Wilcox closed the match with a 6-7, 7-5, 10-4 tiebreaker win on the No. 6 singles court for the Bluejays.
Creighton returns home and begins a four-match home stand on Friday, Feb. 3 at 4 p.m. when they take on former Missouri Valley Conference foe Northern Iowa at the Hanscom Tennis Courts.
Creighton 6, Minnesota State 1
Jan. 27, 2024 at St. Peter, Minn.
Singles Competition
- Malvika Shukla (CU) def. Chiara Carnelutti (MSU) 6-2, 6-2
- Freia Lawrence (MSU) def. Valerie Negin (CU) 6-4, 1-6, 12-10
- Bianca Rademacher (CU) def. Avery Stilwell (MSU) 6-4, 6-0
- Ana Paula Martinez (CU) def. Daria Podmogilnaia (MSU) 6-4, 6-2
- Annika Elvestrom (CU) def. Elizabeth Felderman (MSU) 6-0, 3-6, 6-2
- Allison Wilcox (CU) def. McKenna DeMarce (MSU) 6-7, 7-5, 10-4
Doubles Competition
- Valerie Negin/Bianca Rademacher (CU) def. Chiara Carnelutti/Avery Stilwell (MSU) 6-4
- Malvika Shukla/Ana Paula Martinez (CU) def. Freia Lawrence/Hana Minisy (MSU) 6-1
- Annika Elvestrom/Allison Wilcox (CU) def. Elizabeth Felderman/McKenna DeMarce (MSU) 6-4
Match Notes
Minnesota State: 0-1
Creighton: 1-2