BOWLING GREEN, Ky. -- In a match that came down to the last point of the last match, WKU loses 4-3 at SIU on Friday in Carbondale, Ill. The Lady Toppers move to 6-7 on the season and have only three matches remaining in the regular season.
WKU took the doubles point to start out the match with impressive performances from the duos playing at No. 1 and No. 3. Andreanna Christopoulou and Emilia Granstrom took down Meagan Monaghan and Natasha Tomishima, 8-2. Then Gabby Crofford and Maddy Phillips defeated Gisela Cairo Baza and Yana Golovkina, 8-5.
Despite the strong start, WKU lost momentum in singles. Tereza Hejlova and Andreanna Christopoulou were the only Lady Toppers to record wins. Hejlova faced Meagan Monaghan and jumped out to win the first set, 6-2. Monaghan rallied in the second set to win, 3-6. Hejlova took care of business in the third set winning 6-0 and taking the match point. Christopoulou won at No. 3, defeating Yana Golovkina, 6-0, 6-0.
Elpida Malamou played a tight match against Athena Chrysanthou at No. 4 that featured two sets that went to a seventh point. Ultimately, Chrysanthou defeated Malamou, 7-5, 7-5. Gabby Crofford and Emily Przstawski both put up a fight in their first sets, but each lost their match.
The match was now tied, 3-3. It all came down to the match being played at No.1 between Emilia Granstrom and Natasha Tomishima. The first set was won fairly easy by Tomishima, 6-1. Granstrom bounced back to win the second set, 6-3. The third set would determine the winner of the match. Granstrom and Tomishima went back and forth and eventually took the set to a seventh point. Tomishima won the point and clinched the match for SIU.
The Lady Toppers will travel to Tennessee at Chattanooga on Friday at the UTC Tennis Courts at 2:00 pm. The Mocs are 11-2 on the season and 6-1 at home.
For more information on WKU Tennis, visit WKUSports.com or follow the tennis team via social media @WKUTennis on Twitter and on Facebook at facebook.com/WKUAthletics.
