Ball State tennis fell to Eastern Kentucky University at the Northwest YMCA with the Cardinal men’s tennis falling 5-2 and the Cardinal women’s tennis falling 4-3, respectively.
The men’s tennis teams began their doubles play early in the afternoon.
At No. 1 doubles, grad student Vince Orlando and junior Nathaniel Webster lost their doubles match in a tiebreak 7-6(3). At No. 2 doubles, sophomore Jacks Lancaster, who last played on Jan. 20 against Eastern Illinois, returned to the lineup to play with junior Mason Tran, but fell in a tiebreak 7-6(5).
The Cardinals didn’t have much luck in singles play either.
At No. 1 singles, Webster lost 2-6, 4-6. Tran, at No. 3 singles, lost a close first set 5-7, but ultimately lost the second set 2-6.
Lancaster fell 4-6, 4-6 at No. 5 singles, and redshirt junior Sajin Smith, at No. 6 singles, fell 3-6, 4-6.
Orlando triumphed at No. 2 singles with a score of 7-5, 6-1. No. 4 singles player grad student Eli Herran won in straight sets 6-3, 6-2.
Ball State men’s tennis will be back in action Thursday, Feb. 29 at 10 a.m. at Pacific University.
Soon after the final men’s singles match concluded, women’s doubles play began.
At No. 1 doubles, juniors Elena Malykh and Ella Hazelbaker fell 2-6.
Freshmen Sarah Shahbaz and Isabelle Tanjuatco triumphed at No. 2 doubles, scoring 6-2. At No. 3 doubles, sophomores Sydney Hrehor and Jacqueline Pearsall succeeded against the Colonels with a score of 6-3.
Singles play began and so did the battle for the win.
At No. 1 singles, Malykh battled her opponent, which took her into three sets. She ultimately lost in a tiebreak, scoring 6-4, 1-6, 6-7(1).
Shahbaz, at No. 2 singles, won her first set 6-2 and was up 4-1 when her opponent retired, which gained another point for Ball State.
At No. 3 singles, Hrehor fought hard, taking her opponent into two tiebreakers, but unfortunately lost 6-7(5), 6-7(7). Tanjuatco, at No. 4 singles, lost her first set 4-6. She fought back in her second set, taking her opponent into a tiebreak, but she ultimately lost the second set 6-7(2).
Hazelbaker, at No. 5 singles, battled and took her opponent into three sets, but unfortunately lost 7-5, 4-6, 1-6.
At No. 6 singles, Pearsall prevailed over her opponent in straight sets 6-4, 6-4.
Ball State women’s tennis will be back in action on Friday, Mar. 1 at Dayton.
Contact Lauren Graham via email lauren.graham@bsu.edu.
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