By: Howie Thompson, Director of Sports Communication

Minnetonka, Minn. (LifeTime Fitness) - The Upper Iowa women's tennis team took the first step toward their chase of the 2015 NSIC/US Bank Championship this weekend with a 5-0 win over the University of Mary.  The Peacocks (12-4) won all three doubles matches and then claimed a pair of singles victories to close out the quarterfinal dual.  UIU was winning the remaining four matches when the dual ended.
 
Iris Verweij and Saki Kawabata cruised at #1 doubles for the second-seeded Peacocks with an 8-0 win, while Yamit Vodavoz and Victoria Kulbokas worked together for an 8-6 win at #2 and Anna Okolot and Kelly Jachymowski combined for an 8-4 win at #3.
 
Verweij posted a 6-2, 6-0 win at #1 singles and Kawabata claimed a 6-1, 6-0 in the match at #2.  Vodavoz, Okolot, Kulbokas and Jachymowski were all up a set in their matches from #3 through #6.
 
Upper Iowa will now face the third-seeded Dragons of Minnesota State University Moorhead on Sunday morning at 8 a.m. in the semifinals in Minnetonka, Minn.
 
Upper Iowa 5, U-Mary 0
Apr 25, 2015 at Minnetonka, Minn. (LifeTime Fitness)
 

Doubles competition

1. Kawabata, Saki/Verweij, Iris (UIU) def. Janes, Sarah/Gibbens, Catherine (MARY) 8-0

2. Vodavoz, Yamit/Kulbokas, Victoria (UIU) def. Holt, Meredith/Brackin, Courtney (MARY) 8-6

3. Okolot, Anna/Jachymowski, Kelly (UIU) def. O'Connell, Kate/Bruss, Anastasia (MARY) 8-4

 

Singles competition

1. Verweij, Iris (UIU) def. Janes, Sarah (MARY) 6-2, 6-0

2. Kawabata, Saki (UIU) def. Gibbens, Catherine (MARY) 6-1, 6-0

3. Vodavoz, Yamit (UIU) vs. Holt, Meredith (MARY) 6-1, 2-1, unfinished

4. Okolot, Anna (UIU) vs. Bruss, Anastasia (MARY) 6-1, 1-2, unfinished

5. Kulbokas, Victoria (UIU) vs. O'Connell, Kate (MARY) 6-2, 2-0, unfinished

6. Jachymowski, Kelly (UIU) vs. Brackin, Courtney (MARY) 6-3, 3-1, unfinished