SPRINGFIELD – The Missouri State women's tennis team came up short in its second-straight home Missouri Valley Conference dual Sunday afternoon here, falling to Illinois State, 6-1.
 
"It was another tough one today," head coach Ellie Burger said. "Every match we're learning, and we're going to work on some things heading into our match with Belmont."

Sandra Lukacova headlined the Bears' (5-10, 0-2 MVC) efforts, picking up their only win of the dual in No. 5 singles after defeating ISU's Silvia Pomarolli, 6-0, 3-6, 6-2.

To begin the contest, MSU suffered defeat in all three doubles flights. At the No. 1 slot, the Redbirds' Tijana Zlatanovic and Tara Damnjanovic downed the team of Diana Cabrera and Alyson Piskulic, 7-5. Elsewhere in doubles, Illinois States' Alexandra Abyasova and Pomarolli defeated Juliette Robinson and Lukacova, 6-3, in flight two, while ILS' Nevena Kolarevic and Elena Jankulovska emerged victorious over Silva Avakian and Mary Houston, 6-0, in the No. 3 position.

In other singles action, the Redbirds' Zlayanvoic defeated Cabrera, 6-3, 3-6, 6-0, in the No. 1 slot. In flights two and three, ISU's Abyasova took down Houston, 6-3, 6-2, at No. 2, and the Redbirds' Kolarevic topped Robinson, 6-3, 6-1, at No. 3.

Rounding out the match, Illinois State's Damnjanovic took out Piskulic, 6-2, 6-2, in No. 4 singles, while Jankulovska defeated Avakian, 6-4, 7-5, in flight six.

Missouri State continues its MVC stretch with another home dual against Belmont (3-10) next Saturday at 10 a.m. Admission is free.

Results:

Doubles
1 – Tara Damnjanovic/Tijana Zlatanovic (ILS) def. Diana Cabrera/Alyson Piskulic (MOST) 7-5
2 – Alexandra Abyasova/Silvia Pomarolli (ILS) def. Sandra Lukacova/Juliette Robinson (MOST) 6-3
3 – Elena Jankulovska/Nevena Kolarevic (ILS) def. Silva Avakian/Mary Houston (MOST) 6-0
Order of finish – 3,2,1

Singles
1 – Tijana Zlatanovic (ILS) def. Diana Cabrera (MOST) 6-3, 3-6, 6-0
2 – Alexandra Abyasova (ILS) def. Mary Houston (MOST) 6-3, 6-2
3 – Nevena Kolarevic (ILS) def. Juliette Robinson (MOST) 6-3, 6-1
4 – Tara Damnjanovic (ILS) def. Alyson Piskulic (MOST) 6-2, 6-2
5 – Sandra Lukacova (MOST) def. Silvia Pomarolli (ILS) 6-0, 3-6, 6-2
6 – Elena Jankulovska (ILS) def. Silva Avakian (MOST) 6-4, 7-5
Order of finish – 4,3,2,1,5,6