MANHATTAN, Kan. Kansas State’s Maria Rosenberg rallied past No. 30-ranked Urska Juric of Missouri, 7-6, 7-6 (4), to win the championship match in the top singles flight of the KSU Invitational held Sunday afternoon at Ahearn Field House.

Rosenberg, a junior, captured her first match win against a nationally-ranked opponent this season. She currently is ranked 12th regionally in singles, while Juric is third. Rosenberg is 1-1 versus top 100 competition this year, having lost to then preseason No. 1-ranked Agata Cioroch of Georgia on Sept. 26.

“Maria’s win today was big and it should bring her confidence heading into the season,” Head Coach Steve Bietau said. “As a team, we did very well and saw some good play in both singles and doubles. From here-on-out, everything will be based on team (dual) results and not individual (tournament) results. We have a very tough and competitive schedule ahead of us and we look forward to playing this week against Mississippi.”

Sophomore Jessica Simosa and senior Paulina Castillejos were also winners in singles consolation play. Simosa defeated Missouri’s Hana Kraftova in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2, for third-place honors, while Castillejos won in three (6-3, 4-6, 1-0) against Creighton’s Megan Kowal. Junior Judith Diaz also picked up a victory over Creighton’s Kim Cavan, 7-5, 6-3.

In the doubles final, Rosenberg and Castillejos fell to Missouri’s Juric and Yelena Olshanskaya, 8-2. K-State’s Hayley McIver and Aveen Alkhatib defeated Creighton’s Pam Gerik and Christy Roth, 8-4, in consolation doubles.

The No. 33-ranked Wildcats open the 2003-04 spring season on Friday, Jan. 30 by hosting No. 53-ranked Mississippi at 4 p.m. in Ahearn Field House.

KSU Invitational
Jan. 23-25, 2004
at Manhattan, Kan.

FINAL DAY RESULTS
Flight 1 Singles
Finals
Maria Rosenberg (KSU) def. (30) Urska Juric (Missouri), 7-6, 7-6 (4).
Consolation
Jessica Simosa (KSU) def. Hana Kraftova (Missouri), 6-4, 6-2.
Yelena Olshanskaya (Missouri) def. Katie Chiu (Creighton), 6-3, 6-1.
Paulina Castillejos (KSU) def. Megan Kowal (Creighton), 6-3, 4-6, 1-0 (10-8).
Flight 2 Singles
Consolation
Erika Josbena (Missouri) def. Christy Roth (Creighton), 6-2, 6-2.
Katka Sevcikova (Missouri) def. Hayley McIver (KSU), 4-6, 6-3, 1-0 (10-5).
Mary Barry (Missouri) def. Pam Gerik (Creighton), 6-0, 6-1.
Judith Diaz (KSU) def. Kim Cavan (Creighton), 7-5, 6-3.

DOUBLES
Finals
Olshanskaya/Juric (Missouri) def. Castillejos/Rosenberg (KSU), 8-2.
Consolation
McIver/Alkhatib (KSU) def. Gerik/Roth (Creighton), 8-4.
Kraftova/Ruskova (Missouri) def. Simosa/Diaz (KSU), 8-5.