Weinreich Captures Drake Invitational Title

Four Nebraska women’s tennis team members traveled to the Drake Invitational in Des Moines, Iowa this weekend. The Huskers were led on the weekend by junior Janine Weinreich, who captured the Flight A singles title over teammate Mary Weatherholt. Also seeing tournament action were sophomores Frederike Putthoff and Maike Zeppernick.

The weekend kicked off with doubles action on Friday, where Weinreich and Zeppernick competed. After receiving a first-round bye, the duo defeated Kelsie Olson and Heather Hottman in an 8-0 sweep. Zeppernick and Weinreich returned for semifinals action but were unable to lock up the win, falling to Wichita State’s pair of Montse Blasco Fernandez and Carla Venticinzue, 8-4.

The remainder of tournament focused on singles play, where the Huskers posted a 9-3 record on the weekend. Mary Weatherholt and Janine Weinreich played in the Flight A bracket, where each received a first round bye. The duo then snagged individual victories in the quarterfinals and semifinals and met in the final on Sunday for the Flight A title. Weinreich took home the title on the weekend, downing Weatherholt, 6-4, 6-2.

Zeppernick and Putthoff competed in the Flight B singles bracket, each notching a first-round victory against their respective opponents. In the quarterfinal round, Putthoff fell at the hands of Montse Blasco Fernandez of Wichita State, 7-5, 6-1. Zeppernick picked up two more victories, winning her quarterfinal and semifinal matchup to place her in the final against Wichita State’s Lucia Kovalova. Kovalova defeated Zeppernick in two sets, 6-4, 6-4, to end NU’s competition on the weekend.

The Huskers will take a short break this week before heading to the Midland Invitational in Midland, Texas on Sept. 16-18 as they continue their fall schedule.

Drake Invitational
Des Moines, Iowa

Singles
Flight A
Round 1
Mary Weatherholt (NU), BYE
Janine Weinreich (NU), BYE

Quarterfinals
Mary Weatherholt (NU) def. Jennie Hartjes (Creighton), 6-2, 6-1
Janine Weinreich (NU) def. Carla Venticinque (Wichita State), 6-0, 6-0

Semifinals
Mary Weatherholt (NU) def. Maddy Soule (Wisconsin-Milwaukee) 6-1, 6-1
Janine Weinreich (NU) def. Jessica Kunzelmann (Northern Iowa) 6-4, 6-1

Final
Janine Weinreich (NU) def. Mary Weatherholt (NU), 6-4, 6-2

Flight B
Round 1
Maike Zeppernick (NU) def. Jessica Aguilera (Drake), 6-4, 6-0
Frederike Putthoff (NU) def. Chelsea Bailey (Wisconsin-Milwaukee), 7-5, 6-1

Quarterfinals
Maike Zeppernick (NU) def. Cassandra Dix (Northern Iowa), 6-4, 6-0
Montse Blasco Fernandez (Wichita State) def. Frederike Putthoff (NU), 7-5, 6-1

Semifinals
Maike Zeppernick (NU) def. Chelsea Moore (Northern Iowa), 6-3, 6-0

Final
Lucia Kovalova (Wichita State) def. Maike Zeppernick (NU), 6-4, 6-4

Doubles
Flight A
Round 1
Janine Weinreich/Maike Zeppernick (NU), BYE

Quarterfinals
Weinreich/Zeppernick (NU) def. Heather Hottman/Kelsie Olson (UNO), 8-0

Semifinals
Montse Blasco Fernandez/Carla Venticinque (Wichita State) def. Weinreich/Zeppernick (NU), 8-4