The Missouri State women’s tennis team defeated Northern Iowa, 4-2, on Sunday to claim the program’s first Missouri Valley Conference Team Tennis Championship since 2002.
All-Conference freshman Ellie Burger gutted out a three-set, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5, victory at No. 5 singles over Valentina Caro to clinch the team title for the Bears.
“I am so proud of this team and how hard they competed in every match this weekend,” head coach Mallory Weber said. “This team played inspired and it got us over the edge.
“Everyone on this team contributed to this championship and I am so excited to have the chance to get out there with them again at the NCAAs.”
The Bears (12-9) got out to a quick 1-0 lead after capturing the doubles point. Anelisse Torrico Moreno and Phoebe Boeschen defeated Harri Proudfoot and Caro, 6-2, in the No. 2 doubles contest. All-Conference No. 3 doubles team of Fati Khamissi and Alexia Meyer secured the doubles point with a 6-4 victory over Claudia Toledo and Savanna Hunt.
Khamissi pushed the Bears’ lead to 2-0 with a 6-0, 6-2 straight set victory over Proudfoot at No. 4 singles. The Rabat, Morocco, native went 3-0 in the tournament to move to 16-4 during the spring season.
Senior Abbey Belote defeated Hunt to put MSU up 3-0 with a 6-2, 6-1 straight set victory of her own at No. 6 singles.
UNI (6-13) got within 3-2 after collecting wins at the No. 1 and No. 2 singles matches. Torrico Moreno was just a game away from winning her No. 2 singles match in three sets (1-6, 6-2, 5-4, unf.) before Burger clinched the win.
Sophomore Alye Darter was named the MVC Elite 17 Award winner.
The Missouri State Bears will find out their opponent in the 2018 NCAA Division I Women’s Tennis Team Tournament on Tuesday, May 1 at 4 p.m. The selection show will air on NCAA.com. The first round match will be on Friday, May 11.
