Nov. 7, 2014
Updated Brackets | Follow @msubearstennis
JONESBORO, Ark. - Junior Ema Turudija won her first round singles match to highlight the Missouri State women's tennis team's first day of action at the Arkansas State Invitational on Friday, Nov. 7, at Allen Park.
MSU's Turudija had to go deep into the third set to achieve a quarterfinal victory at No. 1 singles over Murray State's Eleonore Tchakarova. Turudija won the first set 6-4, while Tchakarova took the second 6-4, to force a third set for both teams' top-rated singles players. The two extended the third set to 20 games, with Turudija eventually breaking Tchakarova's serve to take the final set, 11-9.
Turudija fell in the No. 1 singles semifinals to Tamara Slijepcevic of Arkansas State in straight sets and will face Elpida Malamou of Western Kentucky in the third-place match Saturday.
Bears sophomore Ekaterina Donetskova dropped only one service game in each set of her first round match at No. 2 singles, but Viviana Ortiz of Southeast Missouri State took advantage and advanced with a 6-3, 6-4, win.
Two MSU freshmen also played close matches on Friday. MacKinzie Conard lost her first round match at No. 5 singles to Arkansas State's Daria Iurchenko, but pushed Iurchenko to the brink in the first set, narrowly falling 7-5. In the consolation semifinals at No. 4 singles, Rebecca McIsaac lost her first set to Annisa Warasanti of Southeast Missouri State 6-1, but battled and almost forced a third set in a 7-5 second set defeat.
All three of the Bears' flights in doubles lost their matches by an 8-2 margin.
The Arkansas State Invitational continues at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 8, at Allen Park in Jonesboro, Ark. Individuals are set to play one singles and two doubles matches on Saturday.
Check out all the latest news and information on the Bears tennis team at MissouriStateBears.com and follow @msubearstennis for updates throughout the offseason.
Arkansas State Invitational Day 1 Results (Friday, Nov. 7, 2014)
Singles - First Round
1. Ema Turudija (Missouri State) def. Eleonore Tchakarova (Murray State) 6-4, 4-6, 11-9
2. Viviana Ortiz (SEMO) def. Ekaterina Donetskova (Missouri State) 6-3, 6-4
3. Emilia Montenegro (SEMO) def. Abbey Belote (Missouri State) 6-1, 6-2
4. Jess Heeps-Eriksen (Arkansas State) def. Rebecca McIsaac (Missouri State) 6-1, 6-1
5. Daria Iurchenko (Arkansas State) def. MacKinzie Conard (Missouri State) 7-5, 6-0 Singles - Semifinals
1. Tamara Slijepcevic (Arkansas State) def. Ema Turudija (Missouri State) 6-1, 6-2
Singles - Consolation Semifinals
2. Gisela Baza (Southern Illinois) def. Ekaterina Donetskova (Missouri State) 6-3, 6-1
3. Sarah Candeloro (UT Martin) def. Abbey Belote (Missouri State) 6-0, 6-1
4. Annisa Warasanti (SEMO) def. Rebecca McIsaac (Missouri State) 6-1, 7-5 Doubles - First Round
1. Eleonore Tchakarova/Verginie Tchakarova (Murray State) def. Ekaterina Donetskova/Ema Turudija (Missouri State) 8-2
2. Julie Gauguery/Sabina Jeresic (Arkansas State) def. Rebecca McIsaac/Mackenzie Rozell (Missouri State) 8-2
3. Suzann Stoltz/Alena Vasileva (Murray State) def. Abbey Belote/MacKinzie Conard (Missouri State) 8-2 #MSUBears
