Box Score BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The ULM tennis team dropped a close 4-3 decision to Middle Tennessee on Saturday. The Warhawks (10-3) earned the doubles point for the 12th time in 13 matches this season, but the Blue Raiders (8-8) rallied by winning four of the six singles matches for the win.
Freshman Justyna Krol and junior Medy Blankvoort got doubles action started with an 8-4 victory over Middle Tennessee's Irina Constantinide and Flavia Nagayama at the No. 2 position. The Warhawks clinched the doubles point as sophomore Sophie Rufyikiri and freshman Iris Van Leeuwen knocked off Yuiri Nomoto and Alexandra Torres at the No. 3 position.
Blankvoort gave the Warhawks a 2-0 advantage with an easy 6-2, 6-4 decision over Nomoto at No. 2 singles. The win improved Blankvoort to 11-2 on the season – all at the No. 2 position.
The Blue Raiders tallied their first point of the match as Carla Nava knocked off freshman Petra Horakova, 6-1, 6-4, at the No. 5 position, however, Van Leeuwen sealed a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Torres at the No. 6 position to give the Warhawks a 3-1 advantage.
Middle Tennessee won the final three points beginning with Nayara Moraes over Krol, 6-0, 7-6 (7-4), at the No. 4 position. Nagayama followed with a 7-5, 6-4 triumph over sophomore Silvia Tumova at the No. 3 position and Constantinide defeated Rufyikiri, 7-5, 6-4, at the No. 1 position to clinch the match.
ULM is back in action Monday at Western Kentucky beginning at noon.
Middle Tennessee 4, ULM 3
Singles
1. Constantinide, Irina (MT) def. Sophie Rufyikiri (ULM) 7-5, 6-4
2. Medy Blankvoort (ULM) def. Nomoto, Yuiri (MT) 6-2, 6-4
3. Nagayama, Flavia (MT) def. Silvia Tumova (ULM) 7-5, 6-4
4. Moraes, Nayara (MT) def. Justyna Krol (ULM) 6-0, 7-6 (7-4)
5. Nava, Carla (MT) def. Petra Horakova (ULM) 6-1, 6-4
6. Iris Van Leeuwen (ULM) def. Torres, Alexandra (MT) 6-3, 6-3
Doubles
1. Nava, Carla/Moraes, Nayara (MT) vs. Petra Horakova/Silvia Tumova (ULM) unfinished
2. Justyna Krol/Medy Blankvoort (ULM) def. Constantinide, Irina/Nagayama, Flavia (MT) 8-4
3. Sophie Rufyikiri/Iris Van Leeuwen (ULM) def. Nomoto, Yuiri/Torres, Alexandra (MT) 8-4
