Tennis

Murray State Women Top Belmont to Advance in Championship Play


Murray State Women Top Belmont to Advance in Championship Play
Racers earn first-round victory to keep season alive
CHICAGO, Ill. – Murray State women's tennis opened postseason play Friday with a first-round matchup against Belmont at XS Tennis Village, and the No. 3-seeded Racers made quick work of the Bruins, winning 4-1 to advance in the Missouri Valley Conference Championship.
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Belmont struck first in doubles play, with Jessica Popiol and Savannah Webster taking the first flight, 6-3, over Valeria Chaikovskaia and Bruna Melata. Belmont also won the third flight in doubles play, as Emma Grant and Ketevan Jeladze topped Arden Dethridge and Barbora Hermanova, 7-5. The second doubles match was left unfinished with the point clinched, and Belmont claimed the doubles point, 1-0.
Murray State wasted no time responding in singles play. Chaikovskaia rebounded from her doubles loss to dispatch Webster in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4, in the opening flight. Sofia Issakova followed with a dominant 6-3, 6-1 victory over Ketevan Jeladze, and Bruna Melata kept the momentum rolling with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Emma Grant. Rebecca Widan then closed out the match with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Libbie Hamilton, giving Murray State the four points it needed for the 4-1 final. Matches in the second and third singles positions were left unfinished once the outcome was decided.
The Racers' victory sets up a second-round showdown with second-seeded Illinois State on Saturday.
Singles Competition
  1. Valeria Chaikovskaia (MSU) def. Savannah Webster (BU) 6-2, 6-4
  2. Yuna Kadowaki (MSU) vs. Cielo Tapia-Cruz (BU) — unfinished
  3. Yu Kikawa (MSU) vs. Jessica Popiol (BU) — unfinished
  4. Sofia Issakova (MSU) def. Ketevan Jeladze (BU) 6-3, 6-1
  5. Bruna Melata (MSU) def. Emma Grant (BU) 6-2, 6-1
  6. Rebecca Widan (MSU) def. Libbie Hamilton (BU) 6-2, 6-3
Doubles Competition
  1. Jessica Popiol/Savannah Webster (BU) def. Valeria Chaikovskaia/Bruna Melata (MSU) 6-3
  2. Yuna Kadowaki/Yu Kikawa (MSU) vs. Hana Sokolovic/Cielo Tapia-Cruz (BU) — unfinished
  3. Emma Grant/Ketevan Jeladze (BU) def. Arden Dethridge/Barbora Hermanova (MSU) 7-5