The University of Minnesota women's tennis team defeated Drake, 5-2, today in Rochester, Minn., to pick up its first victory of the season. The Golden Gophers won the doubles point for the first time this year and went 4-2 in singles to improve to 1-4 on the season.

The Maroon and Gold opened the match with a 2-1 mark in doubles. The No. 1 team of Angela Buergis and Nischela Reddy downed Annali de Bruyn and Zorana Stefanovic, 8-4. Ida Malmberg and Lindsay Risebrough them up with an 8-6 win at No. 2 over Eveline Rusdianto and Cheen Alkahatib.

In singles play, Minnesota picked up wins at No. 1 through 4 to cruise to the dual victory. Buergis dropped de Bruyn at No. 1, 6-4, 6- 2, to improve to 4-1 on the season. At No. 2 Reddy downed Stefanovic in three sets, 6-4, 1-6, 6-1, and Malmberg made quick work of Rusdianto with a 6-2, 6-0 win at No. 3. Wrapping up the singles wins was Risebrough's 6-2, 6-3 triumph over Rebekah Thomas.

The Golden Gophers return home next weekend to face Montana on Friday, Feb. 27, and Iowa on Saturday, Feb. 28.

Minnesota 5, Drake 2
Feb. 21, 2004
Rochester, Minn.

Singles
No. 1 - Angela Buergis (UM) def. Annali de Bruyn (DU), 6- 4, 6-3
No. 2 - Nischela Reddy (UM) def. Zorana Stefanovic (DU), 6-4, 1-6, 6- 1
No. 3 - Ida Malmberg (UM) def. Eveline Rusdianto (DU), 6- 2, 6-0
No. 4 - Lindsay Risebrough (UM) def. Rebekah Thomas (DU), 6-2, 6-3
No. 5 - Cheen Alkahatib (DU) def. Emily Bezek (UM), 6-1, 6-0
No. 6 - Izele van Blerk (DU) def. Megan Steiger (UM), 6-0, 6-0 Exh. - Marie Mainil (DU) def. Jenna Tellefsen (UM), 8-1

Doubles
No. 1 - Buergis/Reddy (UM) def. de Bruyn/Stefanovic (DU), 8-4
No. 2 - Malmberg/Risebrough (UM) def. Rusdianto/Alkahatib (DU), 8- 6
No. 3 - Thomas/van Blerk (DU) def. Bezek/Steiger (UM), 8-1