Complete Results

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Despite picking up the doubles point, the University of South Alabama women's tennis team dropped four singles matches to fall 4-1 to Middle Tennessee on Friday afternoon at the Buck Bouldin Tennis Complex.

The Jaguars had their 18-match win streak snapped and fall to 18-1 this season, while the Blue Raiders improve to 18-4 overall.

"All the credit goes to Middle Tennessee," said USA head coach Jaco Keyser. "There was a great crowd and a great environment to prepare us for next weekend's Sun Belt Conference Tournament."

Junior Paula Sanchez (Bogota, Colombia) and sophomore Monica Mitta (Fairhope, Ala.) put USA on the board with an 8-1 victory on the No. 3 court over Jesse Grace and Sarah Sediri, but senior Mary Angela Martin (Mobile, Ala.) and junior Michaela Meszarosova (Bratislava, Slovakia) dropped their first doubles match of the season with an 8-5 loss to Brittany Huxley and Nayara Moraes at No. 2. Senior Emily Newton (Dothan, Ala.) and junior Laura Valkova (Piestany, Slovakia) won 8-6 over Tiffany William and Darya Shulzhanok at the No. 1 spot.

"There was very high quality doubles play by both teams, and Middle Tennessee carried that level of play into singles," said Keyser.

In singles action, the Blue Raiders took four matches in straight sets. Huxley defeated Meszarosova 6-2, 6-3 in the No. 4 flight. Newton fell 6-3, 6-3 to Grace on court No. 3, and Moraes handed sophomore Laura Matuskova's (Bratislava, Slovakia) her first loss this spring in 15 matches with a 6-2, 6-0 victory at No. 5.

Williams clinched the win for MTSU when she rallied from a 4-1 deficit in the second set to defeat Valkova 6-3, 7-6 (8-6) at the No. 1 spot.  

"This was one of those matches where a few of their players got in the zone and did a great job closing out sets," said Keyser. "There is no doubt that this will help our preparation for next weekend. It is unfortunate to see this phenomenal winning streak come to an end, but looking at the big picture I think some tension might be relieved by not thinking about anything but the task at hand. We will process today efficiently and set our sights on battling it out in our season finale on Sunday."

South Alabama wraps up regular season play Sunday against North Texas at 11 a.m. in Denton, Texas.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

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