Racers Drop Match To ISU After Early Momentum

The Murray State women's tennis team dropped a 4-1 decision Sunday to the Illinois State Redbirds at Kenlake Tennis Center in Aurora, Kentucky.

Like they did Friday in a road win at Saint Louis, the Racers (3-3) came out hot and won the doubles point when Stasya Sharapova and Anja Loncarevic won their match 7-6 and Claire Chang and Jeanne Masson teamed to win their match 7-5.

"Doubles looked very good today," said Murray State coach Jorge Caetano. "We played with lots of energy and we went for our shots in the big moments and that definitely paid off. Jeanne and Claire played their best doubles of the year coming back from a 5-3 deficit to win it. Stasya and Anja had a very tough doubles match but did a great job playing under pressure so I am very happy with that."

When the match turned to the singles competition, the Racers couldn't get anything going in the first four matches and lost three of them in straight sets. Sharapova won her first set 6-1, but fell in three sets.

"Credit Illinois State, they really brought it to us and were the better team today," Caetano added. "We failed to keep the momentum in our favor after doubles and we have to learn from it. Stasya played a very good first set but her opponent changed the match completely in the second set. The third set came down to three no-ad points in a row that unfortunately did not go our way. On the other courts we were just behind the whole time and Illinois State just kept their foot in the gas and did not let us come back."

The Racers hit the road for a pair of matches at Georgia Southern Saturday and Sunday (Feb. 23-24) at Kennesaw State. MSU returns home to host Bradley and Missouri State (March 1-2) at the Kenlake Tennis Center.

Illinois State at Murray State
Feb. 17, 2019
Kenlake Tennis Center
Aurora, Ky.
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Illinois State 4
Murray State 1

Doubles Order of Finish: 3, 2, 1*

1- Sharapova/A. Loncarevic def. Golanova/Kustkova - 7-6 (5)
2- Chang/Masson def. Damnjanovic/Bravo - 7-5
3- Fitzgerald/Mihaleva def. Hadzic/Loncarevic - 6-2

Singles Order of Finish: 4, 1, 2, 3

1- Golanova def. Chang - 6-4, 6-3
2- Damnjanovic def. Chakraborty - 6-4, 6-3
3- Kustkova def. Sharapova - 1-6, 6-1, 6-3
4- Bravo def. Hadzic - 6-2, 6-3
5- S. Loncarevic vs Fitzgerald - 1-0 unfinished
6- Masson vs Mihaleva - 0-0 unfinished

Murray State University Athletics

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Claire Chang

Anja Loncarevic

Jeanne Masson

Stasya Sharapova

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