Championship Central

FLUSHING MEADOWS, N.Y. – The Butler women's tennis team advanced into the Quarterfinals of the 2014 BIG EAST Women's Tennis Championship Tournament with a 4-1 victory over Creighton on Thursday afternoon.

"The girls definitely played their best tennis of the season today," Head Coach Tayo Bailey explained. "I told them at the beginning of the season that the tournament is where you want to peak… where you want it all to come together, and it did for us today."

Butler started the match off strong with a pair of victories in doubles competition to earn the first point of the day. Stephanie McLoughlin and Kailey Eaton recorded a win at No. 1 doubles with an 8-6 finish over Katherine Nelsen and Jennie Hartjes. The point would go to BU after the tandem of Grace Hyde and Angelina Qin knocked off Analese Snyder and Amanda Noonan 8-4 in No. 2 doubles.

Thursday's action evened out at 1-1 after Nelsen defeated Hyde 6-1, 6-1 at No. 3 singles. That momentum would not last for Creighton as Butler went on to record victories at No. 6, 4 and 1 to earn the win.

Jocelyn Koester came up big at No. 6 with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Karlin Naslund. Eaton pulled BU within a point of the win with a 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 win at No. 4 singles and the Bulldogs completed the upset with a 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 win at the No. 1 spot with McLoughlin defeating Hartjes.

"I am very proud of their hard work their ability to fight until the end," Bailey added. "Tomorrow will be a tough match but we will go in fighting just like today."

No. 10 Butler defeated No. 7 Creighton to advance into the BIG EAST Quarterfinals. The Bulldogs will face the No. 2 seed Marquette tomorrow morning at 9 a.m.