Drake Hands Women’s Tennis Its First MVC Loss Saturday, 4-2

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Having to move indoors due to lingering rain showers in the Music City Saturday morning, the Belmont University women's tennis team dropped its first Missouri Valley Conference match to Drake, 4-2, at the Hadley Tennis Center. Despite the loss, both graduate student Meredith Roberts and senior Taylor Trondson earned wins on senior day.
 
With the two teams electing to play singles first, the Bruins (7-11, 4-1 MVC) were unable to overcome the Bulldogs' strength at the top of the lineup. Drake (11-7, 5-1 MVC) picked up victories on courts one through three before clinching the match at the fifth spot.
 
Roberts evened the match at one apiece on court four with a 6-3, 6-4 triumph over the Bulldogs' Darinka Stepan after freshman Mariia Hlahola was bested 6-2, 6-0 by Drake's Ines Stephani.
 
At the sixth flight, Trondson defeated the Bulldogs' Jyun-Yi Lee 8-4 in a pro set. However, the match had already been decided.
 
Drake took a 2-1 lead when Elizabete Klavinska topped sophomore Anastasiya Zholdakova 6-4, 6-3 at the third position. On court two, sophomore Abi Solomon overcame a 6-2 opening set loss to the Bulldogs' Mille Haagensen and evened the match with a 6-3 set two win. Although Solomon led 4-3 in the decisive third set, Haagensen won the final three games to secure the victory and make it 3-1.
 
Drake's Oriana Parkins-Godwin then closed the door at No. 5, outlasting sophomore Viktoria Kliimand 6-4, 6-2.
 
Roberts and Trondson were honored for senior day at the Beaman Family Tennis Complex following the match.
 
Up Next
Belmont begins a three-match road stretch to wrap up the regular season Wednesday at Murray State. First serve from the Bennie Purcell Tennis Courts in Murray, Kentucky, is set for 1 p.m. Next weekend, the Bruins travel to Illinois State and Bradley.
 
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