CLARKSVILLE – Fabienne Schmidt and Danielle Morris improved to a perfect 7-0 in doubles play this season, but Austin Peay State University women's tennis dropped the doubles point and that would wind up being the difference as the Govs fell to Jacksonville State, 4-3, in their Ohio Valley Conference opener, Friday, at the Governors Tennis Courts.

Austin Peay (5-2, 0-1) got off to a good start in doubles play, with  Schmidt and Morris winning in straight sets, 6-0, in the No. 1 doubles match. But despite dropping the first doubles match of the day, Jacksonville State (8-6, 3-0) bounced back to pick up wins in the No. 2 and No. 3 doubles matches.

The Gamecocks knocked of Jana Leder and Aleks Topalovic in the No. 2 match and Ana Albertson and Honoka Nakanishi in the No. 3 match to claim the doubles point and take a 1-0 lead into singles action.

In singles play it was Jacksonville State that got off to a fast start, knocking off Martina Paladini-Jennings in the No. 4 match and Albertson in the No. 6 match to claim a 3-0 lead.

Needing a win to keep their chances alive, Schmidt and Topalovic both picked up three-set wins for Austin Peay in the No. 1 and No. 5 matches, respectively, to trim the Gamecock's lead to 3-2. But Jacksonville State picked up the decisive point in the next match to go final, knocking off Morris on the No. 2 line to claim the match win.

With the match already decided, Leder picked up a three-set win for the Governors in the No. 3 singles tilt to split the singles matches with Jacksonville State.

Results

Doubles

1. Fabienne Schmidt/Danielle Morris (APSU) def. Carolina Bulatovic/Malin Buechner (JSU) 6-0

2. Charlie Croteau/Harriet Hamilon (JSU) def. Jana Leder/Aleks Topalovic (APSU) 6-4

3. Dariana Prato/Sara Jamal (JSU) def. Ana Albertson/Honoka Nakanishi (APSU) 6-4

Order of Finish: 1, 2, 3*

Singles

1. Fabienne Schmidt (APSU) def. Carolina Bulatovic (JSU) 6-2, 4-6, 6-1

2. Harriet Hamilton (JSU) def. Danielle Morris (APSU) 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-2)

3. Jana Leder (APSU) def. Malin Buechner (JSU) 7-5, 3-6, 7-5

4. Dariana Prato (JSU) def. Martina Paladini-Jennings (APSU) 6-2, 6-4

5. Aleks Topalovic (APSU) def. Sara Jamal (JSU) 6-1, 3-6, 6-1

6. Charlie Croteau (JSU) def. Ana Albertson (APSU) 7-5, 6-2

Order of Finish: 4, 6, 1, 5, 2*, 3

Up Next

Austin Peay will hit the road for a 1 p.m., April 2 match at Southeast Missouri and a noon, April 3 match at UT Martin. The Govs will be back in Clarksville when they play a 10 a.m., April 9 match against Eastern Illinois at the Governors Tennis Courts.

In the time of COVID-19, there is always a chance that a match will be postponed or not come to fruition. For news, scheduling changes, and match-time updates, be sure to check back at LetsGoPeay.com or follow the Governors women's tennis Twitter (@AustinPeayWTN).