CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Southeast Missouri women's tennis (8-5, 1-0 OVC) captured its first Ohio Valley Conference win of the season, 5-2, over UT Martin (2-7, 0-1 OVC) Friday in Southeast's home opener at the Redhawks Tennis Complex. The victory halted UT Martin's win streak over Southeast at 20 dual meets.
"This was a big win for our program," head coach
Mary Beth Gunn said of the dual victory. "I'm so proud of how all our players fought throughout the whole match."
Southeast captured the doubles point to start the dual with victories at the second and first positions.
Kseniya Zonova,
Sneha Sinha,
Isabella Krupa and
Teona Velkoska each registered singles wins to complement their doubles wins in the home opener.
Velkoska and Krupa overcame Daphne Pratt and Mizuki Sakurai, 6-3, for the duos 10th victory in 2019.
Zonova and Sinha then fought past Jemima Potter and Asel Jumamukhambetova, 7-6 (8), to clinch the doubles point for SEMO. With the win, the top Redhawks doubles team has now extended their streak to four in 2019.
When the competition moved to singles, Velkoska pushed the Southeast lead to 2-0 with a 7-6, 6-2 decision on Andrea Plantada for her third straight victory.
Zonova then bounced back from a setback in her second singles opening set to defeat Potter, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, at the second position. The no. 6 player in the 2019 OVC Women's Tennis Preseason Player Top 10, improved to 8-4 this season with her sixth consecutive win.
The Skyhawks responded at the fifth singles position to cut the SEMO advantage to 3-1. Amelia Campbell beat
Anais Emelie, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, before Sinha claimed the Redhawks victory at sixth singles.
Sinha won her sixth consecutive dual match of the campaign 6-7, 6-3, 6-0 over Sakurai.
Jumamukhambetova beat
Romana Tarajova, 1-6, 7-6, 7-6, at the top spot before Krupa defeated Pratt, 7-6, 2-6, 6-7 at no. 3 singles to close out the meet.
Southeast continues its OVC schedule at home next weekend on March 29 and March 30 at the Redhawks Tennis Complex. The Redhawks host Tennessee State Friday, March 29 at 1 p.m. and then take on Belmont Saturday, March 30 at 11 a.m.
