Southern Illinois University
Arkansas State
Women's Tennis drops match at Arkansas State, 5-2
03/11/2008 | 12:00:00 | Women's Tennis
March 11, 2008
By Beth Miller
www.SIUSalukis.com
JONESBORO, Ark. - The Southern Illinois University women's tennis team fell to Arkansas State, 5-2, Tuesday at Allen Park in Jonesboro. The Salukis are now 6-3 after their match against the Lady Indians.
SIU (6-3) got off to a rocky start in doubles, dropping all three matches to give ASU (8-7) a 1-0 lead. Jessica Flannery and Sabine Tsala Mvilongo started off doubles at the top seed, falling to Renee Branker and Emily Laing, 9-8 (4) after a tough battle. At No. 2 doubles, Michela Cruise and Martina Vianna Ce competed against Maria Oprea and Paula Chelminska, but were unable to grab the win, falling 8-1. Andrea Courtney and Amanda Taillefer were unable to hold off Rone Van Wyk and Leydi Zora at No. 3 doubles, ending with an 8-6 loss.
"We were unable to hold the lead," said head coach Audra Nothwehr. "We are going to take that with us and learn from it. We need to close out the match, and not let up."
The Salukis came back to battle the Lady Indians in singles, but it wasn't enough to grab the win. Tsala battled a tough match against Oprea, but fell in the tiebreaker, 6-2, 2-6, 10-5. Ce competed against Chelminska at the No. 2 singles spot, with Chelminska taking the win, 6-0, 6-4. Cruise lost the first set of the No. 3 singles match, but came back to defeat Van Wyk 2-6, 7-5, 10-6. Flannery came out strong at No. 4 singles, grabbing the win over Zora, 6-1, 2-6, 6-3. At No. 5 singles, Agata Skorupska fell to Branker, 6-0, 6-3. Rounding out the match at No. 6 singles, Taillefer was unable to hold off Laing, falling 6-2, 6-0.
"Arkansas State is a very tough team," Nothwehr said. "We knew the matches over spring break were doing to be tough, especially since we are still adjusting to playing outdoors. We've only had two practices outdoors so far this season, but we're making the adjustment."
The Salukis will continue action Tuesday at UT-Arlington. Match time is set for 3 p.m.
Arkansas State 5, Southern Illinois 2
Singles
No. 1 - Maria Oprea def. Sabine Tsala Mvilongo 6-2, 2-6, 10-5
No. 2 - Paula Chelminska def. Martina Vianna Ce 6-0, 6-4
No. 3 - Michela Cruise def. Rone Van Wyk 2-6, 7-5, 10-6
No. 4 - Jessica Flannery def. Leydi Zora 6-1, 2-6, 6-3
No. 5 - Renee Branker def. Agata Skorupska 6-0, 6-3
No. 6 - Emily Laing def. Amanda Taillefer 6-2, 6-0
Doubles
No. 1 - Laing/Branker def. Flannery/Tsala 9-8 (4)
No. 2 - Oprea/Chelminska def. Cruise/Ce 8-1
No. 3 - Van Wyk/Zora def. Courtney/Taillefer 8-6
Arkansas State 8-7
Southern Illinois 6-3
