SPRINGFIELD – The Missouri State women's tennis team seeks to defend its conference title at the Missouri Valley Conference Women's Tennis Championship in Cedar Falls, Iowa from April 26 -28.
The Bears enter the tournament as the No. 4 seed and will face No. 5 Drake in the quarterfinal round on Friday, April 26 at 9 a.m.
The winner advances to play No. 1 Stony Brook on Saturday, Apr. 27 at 10 a.m.
MSU finished league play 3-2, capturing victories against UNI, Drake, and Valparaiso. The Bears started MVC action 2-0 for the first time since the program's reinstatement. After a hot 4-0 start to the spring slate, Head Coach
Mallory Weber's squad completed the regular season 10-10.
The Bears beat Drake earlier this month, 4-3, taking the doubles point and three singles matches.
Sophomore standout
Ellie Burger impressed in the sixth flight, maintaining an unblemished 5-0 MVC singles record. She remained a crucial part of the order this spring, going 13-3 in duals throughout the spring and winning nine of her last 10 matches.
The Chesterfield, Mo. native served as a staple in No. 1 doubles alongside
Anna Alons, earning eight victories for the Bears and picking up MVC Doubles Team of the Week honors three times.
Newcomer
Clara Gandara Gonzalez also holds a double-digit win total, prevailing in seven of her last 10 matches.
Seniors
Fati Khamissi and
Phoebe Boeschen are third and fourth in singles wins for the Bears, respectively. Khamissi tallied nine dual decisions, all in the third flight, while Boeschen followed with eight of her own, including a two-match win streak. Both finished singles conference action 3-2.
In doubles, No. 1 pair
Alye Darter and Burger led the Bears in league play, posting a 2-0 record.
Last year, MSU defeated UNI, 4-2, to secure its first championship title since 2002 and claim the NCAA berth.
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