Missouri State women’s tennis played in its dual schedule and Missouri Valley conference opener versus No. 39 Wichita State, but was defeated 7-0 by the nationally-ranked Shockers at Cooper Tennis Complex on Friday, Jan. 15.
The Shockers (2-0) opened the match by taking the initial doubles point behind finishes of 6-0, 6-1 and 6-2 in the No. 1-3 doubles slots, respectively.
MSU battled in singles versus Wichita State, with the Bears taking 30 games from the Shockers after taking only nine from the eventual MVC champion in their lone meeting a season ago.
Freshmen Phoebe Boeschen and Faty Khamissi made their dual collegiate debuts for the Bears at No. 5 and No. 6 singles. Boeschen held a 3-2 lead in the first set against Luca Pump, while Khamissi took an early lead in the second set of her match versus Summer Schlotterback, before both fell in straight sets 6-3, 6-3.
Missouri State seniors Ema Turudija and Miranda Poile played at No. 1 and No. 4 singles Friday. Turudija dropped a 6-2, 6-1 match to Abby Stevens and Poile lost 6-2, 6-3 to Giulia Guidetti.
Junior Ekaterina Donetskova bounced back to drop a 6-4 second set, after being swept in her first set to Wichita State’s Tanaporn Thongsing at No. 3 singles. Sophomore Anelisse Torrico Moreno’s 6-3, 6-3 defeat at No. 2 singles to the Shockers’ Aleks Trifunovic concluded the match.
The Bears return to Cooper Tennis Complex at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 23, to host the Kansas State Wildcats in their first nonconference match of the season. Missouri State then travels for its next nine matches before it makes its next appearance in Springfield on Feb. 26 versus Saint Louis.
