DES MOINES, Iowa – Jana Lazarevic advanced to the championship match as South Dakota women's tennis opened its fall season at the Drake Invitational.
 
Lazarevic, a junior, won three matches in the Flight A Singles draw before falling in the title match to Esther Thebault of Wichita State.
 
Lazarevic, the Coyotes No. 1 singles player last spring, posted wins over Harri Proudfoot of Northern Iowa (4-6, 6-4, 6-2), Sandra Honigova of Wichita State (5-7, 7-6, 7-5) and Kate Krueger of Creighton (7-6, 6-1).
 
"I could not be more proud of Jana for playing such a complete match and beating a great player from Wichita State in the quarters who has been nationally ranked each of the last 3 years and following it up with a win over a tough Creighton player," coach Brett Barnett said.  
 
Lazarevic also teamed with Sille Tranberg to go 2-2 and finish fourth in the Flight A doubles draw. The duo posted an 8-7 win over the Drake team of Carmen Palumbo and Maria Tatarnikova and an 8-5 win over Augustana's Laura Arce Vieyra and Taylor Jackson. Lazarevic/Tranberg fell in the semifinals to Wichita State's Sarvinoz Saidhujaeva and Thebault.
 
Sille Tranberg, also competing in Flight A singles, posted a 2-2 mark earning wins over Kim Zizek of Northern Iowa and Taylor Jackson of Augustana.
 
Emma Tranberg teamed with Augustina Diaz to register a 2-1 mark in Flight B doubles. The duo posted wins over Kapelevich and Tiemeyer of Omaha and Neville and Webb from Drake before falling in the semifinals.
 
"Doubles was pretty sharp for most of the weekend and that will be an emphasis moving forward," Barnett added. "Jana and Sille had a great weekend for us playing some great doubles and winning multiple matches each in the top flight of singles."
 
Berta Girbau, playing in Flight B singles, and Nanette Nylund, playing in Flight C singles, each posted 1-1 marks.
 
 
"Overall this was a really good weekend for us," Barnett said. "We have put a big emphasis on competing hard, not playing logos and rankings and playing our style of tennis. I am really happy with how we looked and we're definitely ahead development wise of where we have been the last couple of years.
 
"I love how hard this team is working right now and I'm excited to head to Wyoming to play some strong teams at altitude this week!"