Short-handed Southeast Missouri State women's tennis edged by Western Illinois in final non-conference contest

A short-handed Southeast Missouri State women's tennis team wrapped up its non-conference slate by dropping a 4-3 road clash with Western Illinois on Tuesday in St. Louis, Missouri.

Southeast (3-6) had only five players compete, but found a way to win four matches -- three singles and one doubles.

The Redhawks were forced to forfeit the final match of both doubles and singles competition, but Oleksandra Doroshenko led Southeast with a No. 1 singles win over Natalia Bravo of WIU (8-5) by a score of 6-1 and 6-3.

Doroshenko also paired with Kseniya Zonova for the first time in their careers and claimed the top doubles clash over the Leathernecks' Natalia Barvo and Courtney Lubbers, 6-3.

Zonova rallied from a 6-1 first-set loss to take the final two sets, 6-3 and 6-3, and defeat WIU's Courtney Lubbers in the No. 2 singles match, and Alessandra Maya Thompson gave the Redhawks a third singles victory, dropping Laura Ballesteros 6-4, 0-6, 6-2.

Southeast dropped the Nos. 4 and 5 singles matchups on the court.

Thompson and Kelly Sicha paired up in No. 2 doubles, but fell 7-6.

SEMO begins Ohio Valley Conference action Sunday as it takes on Eastern Kentucky at 11 a.m. at the Redhawks Tennis Complex.

— From staff report