Liina Suurvarik was the only Redbird to gain a point as the Illinois States womens tennis team lost their sixth match in nine days falling Sunday to No. 69 Eastern Michigan 6-1.
Suurvarik gained her point by defeating Rebecca Hawkins 6-3, 6-0, in the first flight. In the No. 2 position, Alesia Mikalayeva dropped to No. 64 Lisa DAmelio 6-4, 6-3. Emilie Sechaud fell in her match in the No. 3 flight to Ying Kansuthi, 6-1, 6-3.
In the fourth flight, Elizabeth Bingier dropped her match in a tie-breaker to Kendra Clark 6-1, 4-6, 7-5. After going 4-0 in Hawaii, Laura Gravino lost her match in the No. 5 position to Amalia Linearu 4-6, 7-6, 1-0 (5). Shelby Lipson fell to Shari Gamarnik in the sixth flight 6-1, 6-4.
Gravino and Alana Hoffman picked up the only doubles victory for the Redbirds defeating Linearu and Gamarnik in the No. 3 flight, 8-6. Suurvarik and Mikalayeva lost their doubles match to Hawkins and DAmelio 9-7, in the first flight. This was the dynamic duos second loss this season and first loss since they played No. 3 Georgia. Bingier and Ashley Maxwell also fell in the No. 2 spot to Kansuthi and Clark, 8-1.
Head coach Chris Hoover was a little disappointed the Birds could not pull out a victory while in Lincoln, Neb.
I thought we played hard, but I wish we could have pulled out more victories, Hoover said. We still need a match or two before we are ready to start play in The Valley.
The Redbirds continue play Friday, March 21, when they come home to take on Western Michigan at 7 p.m. at the Evergreen Racquet Club.
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