Peoria, Ill. ? Freshman Erin Krubeck (Boulder, Colo./Fairview) was a straight set winner at No. 5 singles for the Braves but Missouri State, despite playing with just five healthy players, ran their MVC record to 3-1 with a 5-2 win over the Bradley Braves Friday at the Clubs at River City South after being forced inside by the threat of rain.
Krubeck was the lone singles winner in the five contested matches as the Bears powered their way to an MVC road win.
The Bradley freshman locked up with MSU's Mali Gakovic in a tight match that saw each player struggle to hold serve against their opponent's solid return game. Krubeck (11-15, 2-4 MVC) took a seesaw first set 7-5 and ripped a match-winning forehand that painted the alley line to close out Gakovic, 6-3 in the second.
Missouri State grabbed momentum in the doubles by sweeping the two matches in convincing fashion.
Senior Ashley Montrose (Barrington, Ill./Barrington) and junior Elise Montrose (Portland, Ore./Sunset) found themselves down 5-0 before they rallied to 3-5, only to have Liz Garza and Maja Stanojevic take the final three games to wrap up the win at No. 1 doulbes, 8-3.
Junior Teri Chan (Gurnee, Ill./Warren Township) and freshman Kim Braun (Racine, Wis./The Prairie School) were on serve at three-all with Nora Kuruc and Monika Musilova when the MSU pair broke the Braves three consecutive times to pull out the win.
The loss drops the Braves to 5-10 overall, 1-5 in MVC play.
The Braves are back in action Saturday at 1 p.m. when they take on the Wichita State Shockers at the David Markin Tennis Courts on the southwest end of Bradley's campus, weather permitting.
Tennis Match Results
Missouri State vs. Braves
4/14/2006 at Peoria, Ill.
Missouri State 5, Braves 2
Singles competition
1. Nora Kuruc (MSU) def. Ashley Morris (BU) 6-4, 6-1
2. Liz Garza (MSU) def. Elise Montrose (BU) 6-3, 6-3
3. Maja Stanojevic (MSU) def. Teri Chan (BU) 6-3, 6-2
4. Monika Musilova (MSU) def. Kim Braun (BU) 6-0, 6-0
5. Erin Krubeck (BU) def. Mali Gakovic (MSU) 7-5, 6-3
6. Jess Sampias (BU) def. No player (MSU), by forfeit
Doubles competition
1. Liz Garza/Maja Stanojevic (MSU) def. Ashley Morris/Elise Montrose (BU) 8-3
2. Nora Kuruc/Monika Musilova (MSU) def. Kim Braun/Teri Chan (BU) 8-4
3. Jess Sampias/Erin Krubeck (BU) def. No player/Mali Gakovic (MSU), by forfeit
Match Notes:
Missouri State 6-9, 3-1 MVC
Braves 5-10, 1-5 MVC
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2); Singles (4,1,3,2,5)
T-2:48 A-47
