NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Southeast Missouri women's tennis (12-9) advanced to the Semifinals of the 2019 Ohio Valley Conference Women's Tennis Championship Friday with their first win at the Championship in 16 years, a 4-1 victory over No. 4 seed Belmont (12-9) at the Centennial Sportsplex.
 
Southeast last won an OVC Women's Tennis Championship match on April 27, 2003, when the No. 7 seed Redhawks beat No. 8 seed Austin Peay, 4-3, to take seventh place.
 
"We were mentally tough today and that's what got us the win," head coach Mary Beth Gunn said at the conclusion of the dual on Friday. "After we lost the doubles point we came together and everyone determined that they were going to get their singles match. This was the best singles play we have shown all season. We are really growing as a team."
 
With Friday's win at the 2019 OVC Women's Tennis Championship, No. 5 seed SEMO will now face top-seed Austin Peay (20-0) Saturday at 10 a.m. at the Centennial Sportsplex in the semifinals. The winner will face the victor of the other semifinal between #2 Jacksonville State (14-3) and #6 UT Martin (6-11) in the Championship Match Sunday at 10 a.m.
 
Southeast dropped the doubles point to Belmont to open Friday's First Round matchup before responding with four straight victories at the first, second, fourth and fifth positions. 
 
Trailing the Bruins, 1-0, Romana Tarajova, the 2019 OVC women's tennis Freshman of the Year and First-Team All-OVC performer, evened the dual when she triumphed over Peyton Lee, 6-4, 6-4, at the top position. 
 
Kseniya Zonova then pushed the Redhawks advantage to 2-0 when she cruised past Drew Hawkins, 6-2, 6-1, at no. 2 singles. Zonova paces SEMO this campaign with a 14-6 mark. 
 
Teona Velkoska extended the Southeast lead to 3-1, when she ousted Maria Plaksina, 6-2, 6-2, at the fourth slot.
 
Sneha Sinha, a Germantown, Tennessee native, claimed the dual victory for Southeast at the fifth spot. Sinha bounced back after dropping the opening set, 0-6, to Terra Sheldon with 6-1, 6-4, second and third set wins.
 
Isabella Krupa and Manuela Barriga both led their matches at no. 3 and no. 6 singles, respectively before Sinha clinched the dual.