Redhawks Drop UT Martin, 6-1, Saturday to Improve to 3-0 in OVC Play

Saturday, April 2

Martin, Tenn.

1 p.m.

Southeast Missouri State University

UT Martin

Final Results (PDF)

Photo by: Eric Mueller

4/2/2022 6:04:00 PM | Women's Tennis

Box Score Final Results

MARTIN, Tenn. – Southeast Missouri tennis (11-4, 3-0 OVC) stayed perfect in Ohio Valley Conference play with a 6-1 victory over UT Martin (2-13, 1-2 OVC) Saturday afternoon at the Skyhawk Tennis Complex.

SEMO secured the doubles point to begin the match, winning at No. 1 and No. 2, to improve to 3-0 in league competition.

Ksenia Shikanova and Romana Tarajova defeated Sina Albersmeier and Jule Streif, 6-4, at the top position.

The Redhawks No. 2 pairing of Daniela Hlacikova and Teona Velkoska then beat the reigning OVC Doubles Team of the week in Aziza Aubin and Amelia Campbell, 6-1.

The victories extended both SEMO doubles team's win streaks to five matches.

Myroslava Zelenchuk and Vivian Lai dropped their No. 3 doubles match, 6-1, to Jillian Niedzialowski and Lia Espinal.

As the dual switched over to singles play, the Redhawks won five out of the six matches played on Saturday afternoon.

Tarajova, the 2022 OVC Preseason Top Player, defeated Streif, 6-1, 6-2, at the top slot. The victory was the third straight for Tarajova in 2022.

At No. 2 singles, Hlacikova picked up a straight sets win (6-2, 6-2) over Albersmeier. Hlacikova bounced back after a hard-fought, three-set loss earlier in the week to SIUE.

Shikanova, playing at No. 3 singles, picked up a straight sets victory of her own over Campbell. Shikanova breezed through the first set, 6-0, before fighting for a 7-6 (7-2) second set tiebreaker.

With the win, Shikanova improved to 10-5 in 2022 after her first OVC singles win of the campaign.

Lai and Velkoska picked up the final two wins of the match, sealing the deal for the Redhawks fifth win in a row and third-straight in OVC play.

Lai defeated Aubin in a three-set thriller (4-6, 6-4, 7-5) at No. 5. Lai dropped the first set, 4-6, before bouncing back to win the final two sets, 6-4 and 7-5.

Lai is now 10-3 in 2022 and is currently riding a five-match win-streak.

Velkoska secured the final Redhawks singles point in straight sets, beating Mizuki Sakurai, 6-2, 7-6 (7-4), at the final position.

Zelenchuk, playing at No. 4 singles, dropped her match against Espinal, 6-4, 7-5, for the Skyhawks lone point of the day.

SEMO next heads to the Music City April 8-9 to face Tennessee State and Belmont. The Redhawks take on TSU Friday, April 8 at 2 p.m., CT before concluding the trip to Nashville, Tennessee, with a meeting against Belmont the following day (Saturday, April 9) at 11 a.m.