EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – Missouri State women's tennis dropped a close match, 4-3, to SIUE on the road on Saturday.
 
The Bears (7-4) secured all three of their points in singles. Cristina Flaquer put MoState on the board with an early win at No. 1. Flaquer battled SIUE's Jill Lambrechts to win the first set 7-5 before storming through the second set to win 6-1.
 
Nicole Ross' match at No. 6 followed the apposite pattern. Ross won the first set 6-3 over Fabiola Perez of SIUE then won a tie break 7-5 to take the second set 7-6. The junior is on a seven-match winning streak and won her first tie break of the season.
 
Mary Houston won the Bears' final point of the match. For the fourth time in the dual season, Houston forced a match into the third set. After dropping the first set 6-4 to SIUE's Margauz Guibal Britt, Houston took the second set 6-4. The senior from Fayetteville, Ark. Battled in the third set to win 7-5 and tie the match 3-3. Houston is 3-1 this spring when her singles match goes to the third set.
 
SIUE won the critical doubles point, straight-set singles victories at No. 4 and No. 5 and a tough three-set decision at No. 3 singles.
 
Missouri State's next match will be at McNeese State on March 11 at noon. It will be the first of a three-match stretch played in Louisiana.
   
Results
Missouri State (7-4) – 3, SIUE (7-1) – 4
Doubles
1. Cristina Flaquer/Nicole Ross (MOST) lost to Jill Lambrechts/Jordan Schifano (SIUE) – 6-2
2. Mary Houston/Sandra Lukacova (MOST) lost to Amelia Gorman/Stefaniya Anikina (SIUE) – 6-1
3. Tuana Gunal/Juliette Robinson (MOST) vs. Margaux Guibal Britt/Cydney Rogers (SIUE) – 4-4 unfinished
 
Order of Finish: 2, 1
 
Singles
1. Cristina Flaquer (MOST) defeated Jill Lambrechts (SIUE) – 7-5, 6-1
2. Mary Houston (MOST) defeated Margaux Guibal Britt (SIUE) – 4-6, 6-4, 7-5
3. Tuana Gunal (MOST) lost to Jordan Schifano (SIUE) – 6-1, 6-7 (5), 3-6
4. Juliette Robinson (MOST) lost to Amelia Gorman (SIUE) – 6-3, 6-4
5. Sandra Lukacova (MOST) lost to Stefaniya Anikina (SIUE) – 6-4, 7-5
6. Nicole Ross (MOST) defeated Fabiola Perez (SIUE) – 6-3, 7-6 (5)
 
Order of Finish: 1, 4, 6, 5, 2, 3