Bradley University Athletics

Salukis Hold Off Bradley Tennis, 4-3

Ashley Thai serve vs Wichita State April 30, 2016

Wichita State Athletics

Match Results

Bobby Parker, Associate AD for Communications Women's Tennis 4/9/2017 3:54:00 PM

CARBONDALE, IL - Playing without its regular No. 2 singles player for the second day in a row, Bradley's shuffled lineup came up just short in a tight Missouri Valley Conference women's dual Sunday at Southern Illinois. The Salukis (7-11, 1-2 MVC) held off the Braves (9-11, 0-3 MVC) for a 4-3 victory Sunday at the University Tennis Courts.

The Bradley tandem of Ariel Dechter and Aimee Manfredo earned a 6-2 win at No. 2 doubles to improve to 16-8 overall on the year and 11-6 in dual match action, tying the program record for wins by a pairing in the No. 2 doubles position during a season. Southern Illinois won the other two doubles matches, however, to secure the day's first point. The Dechter/Manfredo pairing currently owns the top doubles winning percentage (.667) in a season by any pairing in Bradley history and the 16 total wins currently rank four on the school's single season-wins list.

Manfredo kept the Braves in the match by doubling up with a 3-set win at No. 5 Singles. Her 17 singles wins on the season pace the team and by improving to 8-4 in the No. 5 spot during the dual match portion of the season, Manfredo tied the program record for single-season wins in that position in the playing order.

Bradley's other two points came from Alexa Brandt at No. 3 singles and Ashley Thai in No. 6 singles. For Thai, the win was her first of the spring after playing only doubles until this weekend while nursing a lower leg injury. Thai's 115th career combined victory moved her into a tie for second place on Bradley's all-time victories list with Teri Chan (2003-07).

The Braves will return to action by hosting their final two home matches of the season next weekend - Friday (3 p.m.) versus Drake and Saturday (10 a.m.) against Northern Iowa. The Sunday morning match versus the Panthers will be the final home match for seniors Dechter and Thai, who will end their careers as the two winningest players in Bradley Tennis history.

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