CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Austin Peay State University women's tennis came up short in its first Ohio Valley Conference road match of the season, falling to Southeast Missouri, 5-2, Friday at Redhawks Tennis Complex.
Southeast Missouri (10-4) staked itself to an early advantage by knocking off a revamped Austin Peay (5-2) doubles lineup to start the match. The No. 3 match was the first on the board, with Ana Albertson and Aleks Topalovic playing in and dropping their first match as a duo this season.
The Redhawks then clinched the doubles point in the No. 1 match, where they knocked off Jana Leder and Danielle Morris – who were partnered up for the first time this season. With the doubles point already decided, another new Governors duo of Fabienne Schmidt and Honoka Nakanishi trailed, 4-3, in the No. 2 match, which was left unfinished.
In singles play, Southeast Missouri claimed the first point by knocking off Morris in the No. 2 match to stretch their lead to 2-0. But the Govs bounced right back with a straight-sets win from Leder in the No. 3 match.
However, Southeast Missouri quickly ended any chances of an Austin Peay comeback when the Redhawks beat Martina Paladini-Jennings on the No. 5 line and Topalovic on the No. 4 line to claim the match win.
With the match already decided, Austin Peay got a point back in the No. 6 tilt, where Nakanishi picked up a comeback three-set win after dropping the opening set of the match. But the Redhawks scored the final point of the day, knocking off Schmidt in the No. 1 singles match to secure a 5-2 win.
Results
Doubles
Romana Tarajova/Kseniya Zonova (SEMO) def. Jana Leder/ Danielle Morris (APSU) 6-2
Ksenia Shikanova/Lera Valeeva (SEMO) def. Fabienne Schmidt/Honoka Nakanishi (APSU) 4-3, unfinished
Daniela Hlacikova/Teona Velkoska (SEMO def. Ana Albertson/Aleks Topalovic (APSU) 6-1
Order of Finish: 3, 1*
Singles
Romana Tarajova (SEMO) def. Fabienne Schmidt (APSU) 6-3, 3-6, 7-5
Daniela Hlacikova (SEMO) def. Danielle Morris (APSU) 6-2, 6-1
Jana Leder (APSU) def. Kseniya Zonova (SEMO) 6-1, 6-4
Ksenia Shikanova (SEMO) def. Aleks Topalovic (APSU) 6-2, 4-6, 6-3
Vivian Lai (SEMO) def. Martina Paladini-Jennings (APSU) 6-4, 6-1
Honoka Nakanishi (APSU) def. Lera Valeeva (SEMO) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
Order of Finish: 2, 3, 5, 4*, 6, 1
Up Next
Austin Peay will be right back at it tomorrow when it travels to UT Martin for a noon, Saturday match at Skyhawks Tennis Complex in Martin, Tennessee. After Saturday's match against the Skyhawks, the Governors will return home to host a 10 a.m., April 9 match against Eastern Illinois and an 11 a.m., April 10 match against SIUE.
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 scores, be sure to check back at LetsGoPeay.com or follow the Governors women's tennis Twitter account (@AustinPeayWTN).
