SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Missouri Valley Conference play got started for Illinois State women's tennis on Sunday, as the Redbirds (8-6) took home a 6-1 result over Missouri State (5-10) from the Cooper Tennis Complex.
The Redbirds took the early advantage with a clean sweep of the doubles matches. The No. 1 duo of Tijana Zlatanovic and Tara Damnjanovic picked up a 7-5 win and the No. 2 team of Alexandra Abyasova and Silvia Pomarolli also earned a 6-3 win. To make a sweep, the No. 3 tandem of Elena Jankulovska and Nevena Kolarevic gathered a perfect 6-0 result to give ISU the first point of the match.
Damnjanovic then continued the hot play in singles, going for an efficient 6-2, 6-2 win over Alyson Piskulic at no. 4 to make it 2-0 in favor of the Redbirds. A 6-3, 6-1 win by Kolarevic over Juliette Robinson at no. 3 made it 3-0 in favor of the visitors. The Redbirds clinched the match with a 6-3, 6-2 win at no. 2 by Abyasova over Mary Houston.
ISU would also see Zlatanovic pick up a 6-3, 3-6, 6-0 win at no. 1 while Jankulovska picked up the last Redbird win of the day with a 6-4, 7-5 victory at no. 6. The lone Lady Bears win came over Pomarolli at no. 5, as Sandra Lukacova collected a 6-0, 3-6, 6-2 win to avoid a clean sweep, as the final result saw ISU win 6-1.
ISU returns home for a pair of MVC contests next week as Drake and UNI make the trip to Bloomington for matches on Saturday (March 25) and Sunday (March 26). First serve is set for 2:30 p.m. Saturday versus the Bulldogs while UNI and ISU get started at 11:30 a.m. Sunday.
Final Results: Illinois State (6), Missouri State (1)
Singles competition
1. Tijana Zlatanovic (ILS) def. Diana Cabrera (MOST) 6-3, 3-6, 6-0
2. Alexandra Abyasova (ILS) def. Mary Houston (MOST) 6-3, 6-2
3. Nevena Kolarevic (ILS) def. Juliette Robinson (MOST) 6-3, 6-1
4. Tara Damnjanovic (ILS) def. Alyson Piskulic (MOST) 6-2, 6-2
5. Sandra Lukacova (MOST) def. Silvia Pomarolli (ILS) 6-0, 3-6, 6-2
6. Elena Jankulovska (ILS) def. Silva Avakian (MOST) 6-4, 7-5
Doubles competition
1. Tijana Zlatanovic/Tara Damnjanovic (ILS) def. Diana Cabrera/Alyson Piskulic (MOST) 7-5
2. Alexandra Abyasova/Silvia Pomarolli (ILS) def. Sandra Lukacova/Juliette Robinson (MOST) 6-3
3. Elena Jankulovska/Nevena Kolarevic (ILS) def. Silva Avakian/Mary Houston (MOST) 6-0
GoRedbirds.com and the Illinois State Redbirds App:Â Â Your sources for Illinois State tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
