For the first time since 1989, the Lady Toppers’ tennis squad defeated Middle Tennessee, 5-0, inside the Adams Tennis Center in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
The victory over the Blue Raiders is also WKU’s first win over a Conference USA opponent since topping Florida Atlantic on March 8, 2015.
WKU began Saturday’s match firing on all cylinders by winning the doubles point. At the No. 3 spot, the freshman duo of Monica Malinen and Lisa Friess fell short losing 6-1. But WKU came back to win at the No. 2 and 1 spot led by seniors Andreanna Christopoulou and Elpida Malamou outlasting MT’s duo of Sarah Sediri and Josefina Zehnder, 6-4, to clinch it.
After claiming the doubles point, Natalia De Ugarte defeated MT’s Luisa Zirilli 6-0, 6-4 for the first singles point of the dual match. Senior Elpida Malamou followed suit with a 6-4, 6-2 defeat of Costanza Magazzini, and freshman Monica Malinen clinched the Lady Topper victory with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Marta Peris Herrero.
Only one of the remaining matches were played out as Violetta Shatalova defeated Holly Horsfall 6-3, 6-2.
WKU will be back in action tomorrow as the Lady Toppers will take on Indiana at 10 a.m. CT inside the IU Tennis Center in Bloomington, Indiana.
Singles
1. Josefina Zehnder (MT) vs. A. Christopoulou (WKU) 7-5, 3-2, unfinished
2. Elpida Malamou (WKU) def. Costanza Magazzini (MT) 6-4, 6-2
3. Lidia Burrows (MT) vs. Cindy Oest (WKU) 3-6, 6-1, 1-2, unfinished
4. Natalia De Ugarte (WKU) def. Luisa Zirilli (MT) 6-0, 6-4
5. Monica Malinen (WKU) def. Marta Peris Herrero (MT) 6-3, 6-3
6. Violetta Shatalova (WKU) def. Holly Horsfall (MT) 6-3, 6-2
Doubles
1. Christopoulou/Malamou (WKU) def. Sediri/Zehnder (MT) 6-4
2. Oest/De Ugarte (WKU) def. Zirilli/Horsfall (MT) 6-2
3. Magazzini/Burrows (MT) def. Malinen/Friess (WKU) 6-1
How to Follow the Lady Toppers: For complete information on WKU Lady Topper Tennis, follow the program via social media @WKUTennis on Twitter.
-@WKUSports-
Lance Dozier
WKU Athletic Communications Assistant