VALPARAISO, Ind. – The Missouri State women's tennis team earned its second Missouri Valley Conference win after taking down Valparaiso (11-9, 1-7 MVC) here Saturday afternoon, 4-2.

The Bears (7-14, 2-5 MVC) won five matches, including the top three singles flights and top two doubles flights, en route to its seventh victory of the season.

"I'm super proud of the girls today," head coach Ellie Burger said. "We showed a lot of fight and toughness. I'm excited to see how this carries over to tomorrow."

To get things started, Valpo took the first doubles match after the Beacons' Eleanor Chapman and Demi Jhaveri emerged victorious over Tiera Jarmond and Silva Avakian, 6-2, in flight three. MSU promptly responded with victories in Nos. 1-2, with Diana Cabrera and Alyson Piskulic (No. 1) defeating Valpo's Allison McConnell and Amanda Tabanera, 6-3, followed by Mary Houston and Juliette Robinson (No. 2) besting the Beacons' Olivia Czerwonka and Moira Silva, 7-6 (7-3), to clinch the doubles point in MoState's favor.

In singles, the Beacons evened the score with a victory in the No. 5 spot after Valpo's Mia Bertino took down Piskulic, 6-1, 6-1. The Bears rattled off the following two singles matches after wins by Cabrera (No. 1) over the Beacons' Silva, 6-3, 6-4, and Jarmond (No. 2) against Valpo's Jhaveri, 7-5, 6-4.

The final three singles matches went the distance and reached a third set. Valparaiso would earn its final point of the afternoon after the Beacons' Elizabeth Sobieski downed Avakian in flight six, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3. However, Houston would secure the dual for the Bears by virtue of her victory in the No. 3 slot. After dropping the opening set, Houston battled back to take the match, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, over Valpo's Tabanera.

Because MoState had clinched the dual, the remaining No. 4 singles contest between Robinson and the Beacons' Chapman was stopped in the third set.

Missouri State returns to the courts Sunday at 9 a.m. with another Valley matchup against UIC (11-9, 4-3 MVC) in Chicago, Ill.

Results:
Doubles
1 – Diana Cabrera/Alyson Piskulic (MSU) def. Allison McConnell/Amanda Tabanera (VALPO) 6-3
2. – Mary Houston/Juliette Robinson (MSU) def. Olivia Czerwonka/Moira Silva (VALPO) 7-6 (7-3)
3. – Eleanor Chapman/Demi Jhaveri (VALPO) def. Tiera Jarmond/Silva Avakian (MSU) 6-2
Order of finish – 3,1,2

Singles
1 – Diana Cabrera (MSU) def. Moira Silva (VALPO) 6-3, 6-4
2 – Tiera Jarmond (MSU) def. Demi Jhaveri (VALPO) 7-5, 6-4
3 – Mary Houston (MSU) def. Amanda Tabanera (VALPO) 4-6, 6-2, 6-3
4 – Eleanor Chapman (VALPO) vs. Juliette Robinson (MSU) 2-6, 6-3, 5-5, unfinished
5 – Mia Bertino (VALPO) def. Alyson Piskulic (MSU) 6-1, 6-1
6 – Elizabeth Sobieski (VALPO) def. Silva Avakian (MSU) 4-6, 6-2, 6-3
Order of finish – 5,1,2,6,3