SPRINGFIELD -- Missouri State nearly upended the second place team in the Missouri Valley Conference standings Friday, falling to Illinois State by a 4-3 final at Cooper Tennis Complex.

The Redbirds (11-10, 5-1 MVC) took the 1-0 lead after an exciting 6-4 win at No. 2 doubles, holding off a Missouri State threat at breaking serve that would have resulted in a 5-all tie by winning the final two points after the game was at deuce.

Missouri State's Ekaterina Donetskova won the first set of her No. 5 singles match before her opponent retired early in the second frame, and Phoebe Boeschen snagged a 10-8 win in the third-set tie-break for a victory in the No. 4 match. 

The Bears received a point in the sixth flight as Illinois State fielded only five singles players, and the Redbirds won all three matches in the top half of the lineup in straight sets.

The Bears (6-15, 1-5) finish the regular season Sunday at 10 a.m. against Bradley.

Match Results:
No. 1 doubles - Marcia Tere-Apisah/Jelena Karla Vujicic (ISU) def. Ekaterina Donetskova/Fati Khamissi (MSU) 6-3
No. 2 doubles - Gabriela Sprague/Valerija Gercar (ISU) def. Anelisse Torrico Moreno/Phoebe Boeschen (MSU) 6-4 
No. 3 doubles - Alye Darter/Alexia Meyer (MSU) won by default
Order of finish: 3,1,2

No. 1 singles - Marcia Tere-Apisah (ISU) def. Alye Darter (MSU) 6-3, 7-5
No. 2 singles - Jelena Karla Vujicic (ISU) def. Fati Khamissi (MSU) 6-4, 6-2
No. 3 singles - Gabriela Sprague (ISU) def. Anelisse Torrico Moreno (MSU) 6-4, 6-2
No. 4 singles - Phoebe Boeschen (MSU) def. Valerija Gercar (ISU) 3-6, 6-4, 10-8
No. 5 singles - Ekaterina Donetskova (MSU) def. Andrea Beneroso (ISU) 6-4, 1-2 (ret.)
No. 6 singles - Abbey Belote (MSU) won by default
Order of finish: 6,1,2,3,5,4