SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Southeast Missouri women's tennis (3-6) utilized four singles victories Friday evening at the Cooper Tennis Complex to overcome Missouri State (3-7), 4-3. After dropping the doubles point, Southeast bested its in-state rival with wins at the first, second, fourth and fifth singles lineup slots.
 
Kseniya Zonova and Romana Tarajova each posted doubles and singles wins Friday. The duo opened the meet with a 6-3 victory at no. 1 doubles over Alye Darter and Ellie Burger.
 
The Bears secured the doubles point at the second and third positions. Alyson Piskulic and Anna Alons beat Vivian Lai and Teona Velkoska, 6-2, before Claire Martin and Mara Presot defeated Lera Valeeva and Manuela Barriga, 6-4.
 
When the competition switched to singles, Zonova evened the match at 1-1 with a win at no. 1 singles. Zonova bested Darter, 6-1, 6-1 for her 40th career dual singles win at Southeast. 
 
MSU retook the lead, 2-1, when Burger beat Valeeva, 6-3, 6-2, at the middle position. 
 
Southeast then rallied off two straight wins at no. 4 and no. 2 singles to push the advantage back into SEMO's favor, 3-2. Tarajova overcame Anna Alons, 6-3, 6-4, before Lai cruised past Taylor Shaw, 6-1, 6-1. 
 
Claire Martin then evened the match at 3-3 when she beat Barriga, 6-2, 6-1, at no. 6 singles. 
 
Velkoska clinched the dual meet victory for SEMO at the fifth lineup spot. The sophomore who hails from Prilep, Macedonia, fought past Piskulic, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 in the final singles match of the evening. 
 
Southeast will next face Kansas City (1-6) on Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Cooper Tennis Complex.