March 20, 2011

College Station, TX – The Missouri Tigers faced the Texas A&M Aggies at the George P. Mitchell Tennis Center at noon on Sunday. Missouri lost the conference match and is now 8-5 overall and 0-3 Big 12.

Missouri Tiger Maria Christensen had a successful match versus her opponent at the number four spot and won in two sets ((6-3, 7-6 (6)). Freshman Rachel Stuhlmann also had a victory after dropping her first set and coming back in her last two at the number six singles spot (2-6, 6-4, 7-5). Tigers' Kaitlyn Ritchie had an impeccable rally against No. 18 Nazari Urbina of Texas A&M but eventually fell. Teammates Mallory Weber, Marlen Hacke, and Jamie Mera also came up short with losses.

Mizzou partners Ritchie and Weber competed to win number one doubles for the day against Aggies' Janelle Cuthbertson and Christi Liles 8-4. The pairings of Christensen and Stuhlmann at No. 2 and Hacke and Mera at No. 3 were overcome by Texas A&M. Texas A&M won the doubles point which contributed to their defeat of the Tigers 5-2.

Missouri will begin their spring break competition on Fri., March 25 at 6 p.m. in Columbia, MO against Iowa State. Weather permitting the Tigers will play at Bethel. On Sun., March 27 the Tigers will face Nebraska at 1 p.m. also at home.

No. 26 Texas A&M 5, No. 69 Missouri 2

Singles:

1. (#18) Nazari Urbina (TAMU) def. Kaitlyn Ritchie (MU), 6-4, 6-7 (3), 1-0 (7)

2. Morgan Frank (TAMU) def. Mallory Weber (MU), 6-1, 6-0

3. Christi Liles (TAMU) def. Marlen Hacke (MU), 4-6, 6-3, 6-0

4. Maria Christensen (MU) def. Janelle Cuthbertson (TAMU), 6-3, 7-6 (6)

5. Stephanie Davidson (TAMU) def. Jamie Mera (MU), 6-3, 6-3

6. Rachel Stuhlmann (MU) def. Lauren Santacroce (TAMU), 2-6, 6-4, 7-5

Doubles (A&M wins the point):

1. Ritchie/Weber (MU) def. Cuthbertson/Liles (TAMU), 8-4

2. Frank/Urbina (TAMU) def. Christensen/Stuhlmann (MU), 8-3

3. Davidson/Sheri Olivier (TAMU) def. Hacke/Mera (MU), 8-5

Order of finish:

Doubles: 2, 1, 3

Singles: 2, 5, 4, 3*, 1, 6

*-clinched match

Team records:

Texas A&M: (8-3, 2-1 Big 12) Missouri (8-5, 0-3 Big 12)