Tennis Bears Dominate UNI in 6-1 Win

SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State women’s tennis was dominant in its defeat of Northern Iowa at home on Saturday.
 
The Bears (10-5, 1-0 MVC) only dropped a point due to a medical withdrawal at No. 1 singles. MoState remains undefeated at home (6-0) and undefeated when it secures the doubles point (8-0). The Bears have the longest win streak in the Missouri Valley Conference with three straight wins.
 
No. 2 and No. 3 doubles helped the Bears to an early lead. The duo of Mary Houston and Sandra Lukacova defeated UNI’s Andrijana Brkic and Kim Zizek by 6-1 at No. 2. Tuana Gunal and Juliette Robinson also won by 6-1 at No. 3 against Lasya Mylavarapu and Issa Sullivan.
 
Gunal got the ball rolling in singles with a sweep at No. 3 against Lorena Cardoso of UNI. The native of Gebze, Turkey won 6-0, 6-0 for the first time in her career as a Bear. Gunal has the second-longest win streak of any Bear with three straight wins at No. 3.
 
Nicole Ross owns the longest win streak on the team with nine wins in a row. Ross flew through her first set against Kanyanut Sudsaard to win 6-1. She took the second set by the same score to secure the Bears’ win at No. 5.
 
Lukacova won the first match with only two dropped games in the first set against UNI’s Sullivan. After closing the first set 6-2, the junior raced to win her second 6-0 in the No. 6 spot.
 
Robinson’s win at No. 4 put the Bears in position to clinch their tenth victory of the season. The native of Carey Gulley, Australia won the first set 6-1 then took the second 6-2.
 
Houston battled in the No. 2 spot to earn her win over Dalecka. In both sets, the lead would bounce back-and-forth before Houston ran away with a win. The senior ultimately won both sets 6-3.
 
The Bears head back out on the road next week to face Murray State on Friday at 11:00 a.m. and Belmont on Saturday at 10:00 a.m.
 

 
Results
Missouri State (10-5, 1-0 MVC) – 6, Northern Iowa (3-9, 0-1 MVC) – 1
Doubles
1. Cristina Flaquer/Nicole Ross (MOST) vs. Lorena Cardoso/Darta Dalecka (UNI) – 3-3 unfinished
2. Mary Houston/Sandra Lukacova (MOST) defeated Andrijana Brkic/Kim Zizek (UNI) – 6-1
3. Tuana Gunal/Juliette Robinson (MOST) defeated Lasya Mylavarapu/Issa Sullivan (UNI) – 6-1
 
Order of Finish: 2, 3
 
Singles
1. Cristina Flaquer (MOST) lost to Andrijana Brkic (UNI) – 6-4, medical withdrawal
2. Mary Houston (MOST) defeated Darta Dalecka (UNI) – 6-3, 6-3
3. Tuana Gunal (MOST) defeated Lorena Cardoso (UNI) – 6-0, 6-0
4. Julitte Robinson (MOST) defeated Kim Zizek (UNI) – 6-1, 6-2
5. Nicole Ross (MOST) defeated Kanyanut Sudsaard (UNI) – 6-1, 6-1
6. Sandra Lukacova (MOST) defeated Issa Sullivan (UNI) – 6-2, 6-0
 
Order of Finish: 3, 4, 5, 2, 6, 1