WATERLOO, Iowa – After surrendering the doubles point, the Missouri State women's tennis team won four-of-six singles matches to steal the dual over Northern Iowa, 4-3, Sunday afternoon here.

The victory marked their first Valley win of the season for the Bears (6-13, 1-4 MVC) as well as their first road victory, also both first under first-year head coach Ellie Burger.

"It's great to get our first Valley win and road win," Burger said. "I'm proud of how the girls bounced back after yesterday, and I'm excited to see them back on the courts Thursday against Murray State."

To begin the match, the Panthers (5-12-1, 1-4 MVC) grabbed the doubles point thanks to victories in flights one and three. Despite the duo of Mary Houston and Juliette Robinson first earning a 6-4 win over Northern Iowa's UNI's Lorena Cardoso and Darta Dalecka in the No. 2 slot, UNI's Andrijana Brkic and Kim Zizek (No. 1) took out Diana Cabrera and Alyson Piskulic, 6-4, while the Panthers' Thaissa Moreira and Issa Sullivan defeated Silva Avakian and Tiera Jarmond, 7-6 (7-1), in an exciting final doubles contest. After the first three matches, the home team found itself up 1-0.

In singles, MSU wasted no time in getting itself back into the dual. In flight four, Robinson emerged victorious over UNI's Cardoso, 6-2, 6-2. The Panthers would respond by virtue of Dalecka's 7-5, 6-0 win against Jarmond in the No. 2 position, but the Bears kept pace thanks to Cabrera's victory over UNI's Brkic, 6-2, 6-3, in the No. 1 spot to even the dual at two apiece.

The punch-for-punch theme of the afternoon continued for the next couple of matches, as Houston (No. 4) took down UNI's Zizek, 6-4, 6-4, while the Panthers' Moreira (No. 5) defeated Piskulic, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, to make the score an even 3-3.

Ultimately, the match came down to the No. 6 singles match between Avakian and Northern Iowa's Sudsaard. After splitting the first two sets, the MoState freshman clutched up in set three and took the match, 6-2, 5-7, 6-1, to give Missouri State its first Missouri Valley Conference win.

Up next, the Bears host Murray State (8-7, 2-1 MVC) Thursday at 12 p.m. at Cooper Tennis Complex in MSU's home finale. Admission is free.

Results:
Doubles
1 – Andrijana Brkic/Kim Zizek (UNI) def. Diana Cabrera/Alyson Piskulic (MOST) 6-4
2 – Mary Houston/Juliette Robinson (MOST) def. Lorena Cardoso/Darta Dalecka (UNI) 6-4
3 – Thaissa Moreira/Issa Sullivan (UNI) def. Silva Avakian/Tiera Jarmond (MOST) 7-6 (7-1)
Order of finish – 2,1,3

Singles
1 – Diana Cabrera (MOST) def. Andrijana Brkic (UNI) 6-2, 6-3
2 – Darta Dalecka (UNI) def. Tiera Jarmond (MOST) 7-5, 6-0
3 – Mary Houston (MOST) def. Kim Zizek (UNI) 6-4, 6-4
4 – Juliette Robinson (MOST) def. Lorena Cardoso (UNI) 6-2, 6-2
5 – Thaissa Moreira (UNI) def. Alyson Piskulic (MOST) 3-6, 6-1, 6-2
6 – Silva Avakian (MOST) def. Kanyanut Sudsaard (UNI) 6-2, 5-7, 6-1
Order of finish – 4,2,1,3,5,6