MURGREESBORO, Tenn. – Austin Peay State University women's tennis team dropped a 4-3 decision to Middle Tennessee in its spring opener, Sunday, at the Adams Tennis Complex.

After dropping the doubles point and two of their first three singles matches, Austin Peay (0-1) found itself down 3-1 with three matches remaining, but railed to tie the match at three. However, the Govs were unable to complete the comeback, dropping their first match of the 2023 season.

Pairing together for the first time in dual action together, sophomores Denise Torrealba and Yu-Hua Cheng fell to Middle Tennessee's Love-Star Alexis and Rutuja Chaphalkar, 6-3, in the first doubles match to go final. Redshirt junior Jana Leder and freshman Melody Hefti's match was the next to go final, as the duo fell from the No. 1 position, 6-3.

The freshman pairing of Sophia Baranov and Lucy Lascheck led 5-4 on the third line, but it went unfinished with Middle Tennessee (1-2) securing the doubles point.

Hefti earned her first-career singles win with a straight-set, 6-2, 6-3, win against the Blue Raiders' Muskan Gupta to cut Austin Peay's deficit to 2-1 after Barnov fell in her singles match.

Freshman Asia Fontana secured APSU's second point with a 6-3, 7-5 win from the No. 6 position, earning her first-career singles win.

After dropping her first set, Leder came back to win her second and third set, 7-6, 6-2, to tie the match, 3-3.

Cheng split her first two sets against MTSU's Lilly-Sophie Schmidt and fell in an extended third set, 7-6 (5).

Results vs. Middle Tennessee

Doubles

1. Noelle Mauro / Sana Garakani (MTSU) def. Jana Leder / Melody Hefti (APSU), 6-3
2. Love-Star Alexis / Rutuja Chaphalkar (MTSU) def. Denise Torrealba / Yu-Hua Cheng (APSU), 6-3
3. Sophia Baranov / Lucy Lascheck (APSU) vs. Lilly-Sophie Schmidt / Muskan Gupta (MTSU), Unfinished at 5-4

Order of Finish: 2, 1*

Singles

1. Love-Star Alexis (MTSU) def. Denise Torrealba (APSU), 6-3, 6-3
2. Jana Leder (APSU) def. Sana Garakani (MTSU), 3-6, 7-6 (6), 6-2
3. Melody Hefti (APSU) def. Muskan Gupta (MTSU), 6-2, 6-3
4. Lilly-Sophie Schmidt (MTSU) def. Yu-Hua Cheng (APSU), 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (5)
5. Noelle Mauro (MTSU) def. Sophia Baranov (APSU), 6-2, 6-0
6. Asia Fontana (APSU) def. Rutuha Chaphalkar (MTSU), 6-3, 7-5

Order of Finish: 5, 3, 1, 6, 2, 4*

Up Next

Austin Peay continues its season-opening road trip against Conference USA opponents when it faces Western Kentucky at 2 p.m., Jan. 26 in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

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For news and updates throughout the Governors' inaugural ASUN Conference season, follow the women's tennis team on Twitter (@GovsWTN), Instagram (@GovsTennis) and Facebook (Austin Peay Tennis).