SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State women's tennis lost its penultimate home match of the season, 5-2, to Belmont on Saturday.
 
Billur Gonlusen had a perfect day for the Bears with a 6-2 win in the No. 1 doubles match with partner Tuana Gunal. The duo has won three straight doubles matches together in Missouri Valley Conference play. Gonlusen went on to win her singles match in the No. 2 spot against Belmont's Viktoria Kliimand. The junior from Adana, Türkiye won the first set 6-2. Kliimand put up a fight in the second to force the set into a tiebreaker, but Gonlusen powered through to win the tiebreaker 7-1 and the set 7-6.
 
Raluca Puscas accounted for the MoState's other team point. The junior won the first set of the No. 4 match, 6-2 over Belmont's Libbie Hamilton. Puscas established a dominant lead in the second set and worked her way up to a 3-0 lead. Hamilton fought back, but Puscas took the set 6-3 to win the match. It was her 10^th career singles victory since transferring to Missouri State.
 
The Bear will close out their home season against Murray State on Sunday, April 13 at 11:00 a.m. Seniors Sandra Lukacova and Amy Henning will be honored with a senior ceremony prior to the beginning of the match. Admission is free at Cooper Tennis Complex.
   
Results
Missouri State (3-18, 2-3 MVC) – 2, Belmont (5-13, 4-2 MVC) – 5
Doubles
1. Billur Gonlusen/Tuana Gunal (MOST) defeated Viktoria Kliimand/Hana Sokolovic (BEL) – 6-2
2. Sandra Lukacova/Raluca Puscas (MOST) lost to Aly Getty/Anastasia Zholdakova (BEL) – 6-3
3. Lola Federski/Romy Pols (MOST) lost to Libbie Hamilton/Sarah McElrath (BEL) – 6-3
 
Order of Finish: 3, 2, 1
 
Singles
1. Tuana Gunal (MOST) lost to Anastasia Zholdakova (BEL) – 6-3, 6-0
2. Billur Gonlusen (MOST) defeated Viktoria Kliimand (BEL) – 6-2, 7-6 (1)
3. Sandra Lukacova (MOST) lost to Hana Sokolovic (BEL) – 7-6 (0), 6-3
4. Raluca Puscas (MOST) defeated Libbie Hamilton (BEL) – 6-2, 6-3
5. Romy Pols (MOST) lost to Aly Getty (BEL) – 6-3, 6-2
6. Lola Federski (MOST) lost to Sarah McElrath (BEL) – 6-1, 6-1
 
Order of Finish: 6, 5, 1, 4, 3, 2