With one more win, Murray State (6-0) will earn at least a share of the 2024 Missouri Valley Conference women's tennis regular-season crown and No. 1 seed in the upcoming MVC Championship. The Racers face Valparaiso and Bradley on the road this weekend.
Illinois State (6-1) also has claimed one of the tournament's top two seeds. The Redbirds' only loss this year has been to Murray State, and ISU closes its regular-season schedule with a Sunday home match against Missouri State.
The league championship features the league's Top 6 teams. Five schools (Belmont, Bradley, Drake, UIC, and Missouri State) are vying for the final four spots in the field.
Stephani went 2-0 in singles play on the weekend against Bradley and Illinois State, and both wins were dominating straight-set victories in the top singles slot. She won 6-1, 7-5 against Bradley’s Maria Bezmenova to score Drake’s fourth point of the match and clinch a victory over the Braves. She also went to two tiebreakers against Tijana Zlatanovic from Illinois State and prevailed to win 7-5 and 7-6.
Emma Honore and Natalie Slezakova went 2-0 at the #1 spot this weekend, giving the Belmont duo and reigning MVC Fall Doubles #1 Champions their first loss in MVC play this year.
Notable Singles Performances
- Mariia Hlahola (Belmont) - Defeated Murray State 6-3, 7-5
- Emma Honore (Murray State) - Defeated Belmont 6-1, 7-5 and UIC 7-5, 6-1
- Silvia Pomarolli (Illinois State) - Defeated UNI 6-1, 6-1 and Drake 6-2, 6-2
- Tuana Gunal (Missouri State) - Defeated UIC 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 and Valparaiso 6-2, 6-2
- Olivia Czerwonka (Valparaiso) - Defeated Missouri State 6-3, 6-2
- Camille Belberka (UIC) - Defeated Missouri State 6-1, 4-6, 7(7)-6(3) and Murray State 6-3, 6-2
- Kirstin Hailey (Bradley) - Defeated UNI 6-2, 6-0
notable Doubles performances
- Tamara Malazonia and Camille Belberka (UIC) - Defeated Missouri State 4-3 and Murray State 6-4
- Olivia Czerwonka and Sydney Stone (Valparaiso) - Defeated Missouri State 6-0
- Lana Caculovic and Tijana Zlatanovic (Illinois State) - Defeated UNI 6-3 and Drake 6-4
MVC Standings
Belmont to host MVC championship
Belmont University is set to host the 2024 Missouri Valley Conference Championship on April 26th-28th. This will be the first-ever MVC Team Tennis Championship held at Belmont's campus and the second MVC Champion the Bruins will host after the 2023 MVC Cross Country Championship in October. The competition will be held at Belmont Family Tennis Complex.