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Northern Iowa bounces Bradley in MVC tournament opener

In a rematch of the April 3 match against Northern Iowa, the Bradley women’s tennis team suffered a similar fate to UNI in the Missouri Valley Conference tournament, losing to the Panthers 5-1.

Freshman Alexa Brandt won her singles match for the only Bradley point that day, as UNI took the doubles and the next four points, effectively ending the Braves’ season.

“It was a match that we were really looking forward to,” head coach Matt Tyler said. “It was one that we definitely had a shot at winning.”

Tyler pointed to the doubles matches as the crucial point of the match which swings momentum in favor of the winner.

“We had a couple of tight matches, especially at No. 2 doubles that could’ve gone either way,” Tyler said. “If you get that doubles point, then maybe it shifts into our favor, and then we can maybe win that 4-3.”

Senior Carly Miles lost her singles match for UNI’s second point, followed by Brandt’s 6-3, 6-1 singles win.

“I’ve been playing much better,” Brandt said. “I think [I’m] just more experienced in the conference, and my teammates have really helped me.”

However, Brandt’s win was succeeded by the Panther’s Jieke Stroobant’s victory over the Braves’ Aimee Manfredo, which gave UNI a commanding 3-1 lead in match points.

The Panthers secured the 5-1 win when senior Cassie Wojtalik lost to Gisela Kemper 6-1, 6-3, which ended sophomore Ariel Dechter’s match, as her match had no impact on the final score.

Tyler said the main difference between the match against the Panthers on April 3 and the MVC tournament match was the absence of Irinka Toidze.

“She played that match against [UNI], and she was maybe 50 percent,” Tyler said. “Since she’s actually had surgery, and so she was shut out at that point.”

Tyler also said Toidze’s injury created more than just the issue of replacing an upperclass player.

“It changes our doubles teams up, as well as obviously the singles lineup,” Tyler said. “That was certainly a hurdle we had to get over.”

With the season coming to a close, Tyler and his squad prepare to head into next year losing only two players, while bringing back their top three winners in singles: Brandt, freshman Ashley Thai and Dechter, who was named a member of the All-MVC tennis team on Wednesday.

Dechter is the first ever Bradley tennis player to be named to the All-MVC squad.

“[Dechter’s] very competitive,” Brandt said. “She works hard, [and] it makes me want to work harder.”
With a positive season under his belt, Tyler said the 2014-2015 campaign was an extraordinary everyone for him.

“Honestly, [it was] the most fun I’ve had as a coach,” Tyler said. “To not only to get the wins we were able to get, but also to be around the group of people we have on this team was really special for me as a coach.”

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