MIDLAND, Mich. – Julia Schepp rallied from 4-0 behind in the third set to win her singles pairing against Patricia Maya, 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, and lift Drury to a 5-4 win over Missouri-St. Louis in the first round of the NCAA-II Midwest Regional tournament on Monday in Midland, Michigan.
 
The 14^th-ranked Panthers will advance to national tournament's second round with a 21-3 record. UMSL ends their season with a 14-3 record with all three of their losses coming against Drury and all three were decided 5-4.
 
"We found a way to win today and it came down to the very end again," said Drury head coach Jarrod Smith. "Josephine (Jedrychowski) strained her back during doubles play but toughed it out and was able to complete the victory. Without her effort, we would not have won the day. Julia had to step in at number five singles and played her first singles match since March. After losing the first set, she regained her composure and won the second set. She mounted an amazing comeback in the third and, with the support of her team, won six straight games to seal the match."
 
The Panthers won two of the three doubles pairings. JiaQing Mo and Lara Muller defeated Salome Bleuler and Patricia Maya 8-4. Jedrychowski and Chung-Yen Huang downed Jennifer Hauer and Marina Prediger 8-2.
 
Larissa Karl quickly won her singles match-up against Hauer 6-1, 6-1 while Huang pulled away in the third set for a singles win over Kristine Lindal 6-7, 6-4, 6-1.
 
Drury advances to the second round where they will play the regional host and second seeded Northwood on Tuesday. The Timberwolves (21-2) defeated Lewis 5-3 on Monday to advance to the tournament's second round.
 
Northwood will face Drury at 11 a.m. (central) on Tuesday at the Greater Midland Tennis Center. The winner of will advance to the round of 16 on May 10 in Altamonte Spring, Florida.
 
 
#14 Drury University 5, Missouri-St. Louis 4
May 01, 2017 at Midland, Mich. (Greater Midland Tennis Center)
Singles competition
1. #45 Larissa Karl (DU) def. Jennifer Hauer (UMSLW) 6-1, 6-1
2. Salome Bleuler (UMSLW) def. Lara Muller (DU) 6-1, 6-3
3. Chung-Yen Huang (DU) def. Kristine Lindal (UMSLW) 6-7, 6-4, 6-1
4. Carlota Trevino (UMSLW) def. JiaQing Mo (DU) 6-1, 6-3
5. Julia Schepp (DU) def. Patricia Maya (UMSLW) 4-6, 6-2, 6-4
6. Marina Prediger (UMSLW) def. Elizaveta Tregubova (DU) 7-6, 6-1
 
Doubles competition
1. Kristine Lindal/Carlota Trevino (UMSLW) def. #7 Julia Schepp/Larissa Karl (DU) 8-4
2. JiaQing Mo/Lara Muller (DU) def. Salome Bleuler/Patricia Maya (UMSLW) 8-4
3. Chung-Yen Huang/J. Jedrychowski (DU) def. Jennifer Hauer/Marina Prediger (UMSLW) 8-2
 
Match Notes
Missouri-St. Louis 14-3; Regional ranking #6
Drury University 21-3; National ranking #14; Regional ranking #3
 
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (1,4,2,6,3,5)
2017 NCAA Division II Women's Tennis Tournament - Opening Round
Drury will face No. 2 Northwood second round
Official: M. Paulus, B. Rayce T-4:05 A-65
 
 
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