Despite flu, Nadasska nets victory

Lubica Nadasska, a sophomore on the Missouri women’s tennis team, was not in the best condition to play an almost 3-hour match on Sunday. She won anyway, helping the Tigers beat Minnesota 5-2 at the Green Tennis Center for their second win in a row.

After playing in Missouri’s spring season opener on Feb. 4, Nadasska came down with the flu and missed the next five matches. She returned on Friday against Montana State, cruising to a 6-1, 6-1 victory. But Sunday’s match proved to be a challenge.

“I was sick, so this was my first match against a better player,” she said. “I played Montana State, but this was a much better team. At first I was really nervous.”

Playing in the No. 3 singles position against Minnesota’s Ida Malmberg, Nadasska lost a tough first set 6-4, at one point banging her racket on the ground in frustration. Once the jitters wore off, though, Nadasska came back. She won the next two sets 6-4, 6-2.

“I tried to move my feet, and I concentrated better,” she said. “I felt better on the court after the first set.”

Coach Blake Starkey said the win came against a tough opponent. Nadasska used a variety of slices and lobs to combat Malmberg’s athleticism.

“She just played great tennis,” Starkey said. “She’s still kind of getting her feet under her. She was quite ill there for a little while.”

The No. 2 doubles team of Yelena Olshanskaya and Val Dandik also provided a boost for Missouri (5-3). With the doubles matches tied at 1-1, Olshanskaya and Dandik pulled out a 9-7 victory to give the Tigers the doubles point. Both players also won their singles matches, along with junior Amanda Pratzel who moved to 7-1 on the season in singles play.

Starkey said the team is gaining confidence after dropping home matches against conference opponents Nebraska and Oklahoma earlier in the spring season.

“I think we’re starting to play at home pretty well,” he said. “We played a Nebraska team that’s just on fire, and we really stubbed our toe against Oklahoma. That was one that I think was right there for the taking.”

Tigers senior Hana Kraftova lost her second match of the season, falling 6-4, 6-4 in the No. 1 singles position. Junior Erika Josbena also lost a three-set match at the No. 4 position. But Starkey said the ability of the team to provide different combinations of wins was what would ultimately determine its success.

“That’s how you win ‘em,” he said. “I can’t tell you how many times you may have a kid go out and get a big win at No. 1 and then everybody else gets beat. You do it as a team.”