Box Score

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Northeastern State women's tennis team dispatched of Emporia State University 8-1 Saturday morning on the NSU Tennis Courts.
 
The RiverHawks (12-1, 5-0 MIAA) picked up their 11th-straight win, while dropping the Lady Hornets (6-2, 0-2 MIAA) to their second-straight 8-1 defeat.
 
NSU gave ESU a point in doubles, but the RiverHawks took down the visitors in the other eight matches to cruise to victory.
 
“We couldn't be more excited about going 3-0 in our first three home matches,” NSU coach Amanda Stone said. “Conference matches are always though, and when you play three days in a row it can really wear a team down. We were able to come out fired up every day and put down three solid teams.”
 
The junior doubles tandem of Jeanne Mallem and Houda Bellamine kicked off competition with a hard-earned 8-6 victory over Alex Crowe and Kayla Fraley on the second court. NSU's team was behind 5-2 before finding a way to record the victory.
 
Tiffany Khounsombath and Somer Schmidt tallied Emporia State's only win, defeating junior Martina Bruzikova and sophomore Barbora Jirickova 8-3 at the third position.
 
Senior Ivana Belejova and freshman Kristina Savchenkov found themselves down 5-2 on the top court, but they battled back and earned a 9-8 (7-2) triumph over Nicole Jara and Taylor Smith to close out doubles play.
 
Bellamine secured a 6-1, 6-0 win over Khounsombath on the third singles court, and Mallem followed suit with a 6-1, 6-0 win over Jennifer Gerhardt at the fourth position.
 
Bruzikova clinched the team victory with a 6-0, 6-0 win over Crowe from the fifth spot, and Jirickova added a sixth point after defeating Schmidt 6-0, 6-1 at the sixth flight. Savchenkov took down Smith 6-3, 6-3 from the second singles court, and Belejova ended the match with a 6-3, 3-6, 1-0 (10-8) win over Jara at the top of the order.
 
Bruzikova has now won 11 consecutive singles matches, and she and Jirickova are 12-1 in singles matches.
 
Savchenkov owns an 11-2 mark in singles play this year, and the RiverHawks are a combined 37-2 from the bottom three singles positions in 2013.
 
Northeastern State will now travel to Fort Smith, Ark., for a 1 p.m. match against University of Arkansas-Fort Smith March 12.
 
Tennis Match Results
Mar 09, 2013 at Tahlequah, Okla.
(NSU Tennis Courts)
 
Northeastern State 8, Emporia State 1

Singles competition
1. Ivana Belejova (NSU) def. Nicole Jara (ESU) 6-3, 3-6, 1-0 (10-8)
2. Kristina Savchenkov (NSU) def. Taylor Smith (ESU) 6-3, 6-3
3. Houda Bellamine (NSU) def. Tiffany Khounsombath (ESU) 6-0, 6-1
4. Jeanne Mallem (NSU) def. Jennifer Gerhardt (ESU) 6-1, 6-0
5. Martina Bruzikova (NSU) def. Alex Crowe (ESU) 6-0, 6-0
6. Barbora Jirickova (NSU) def. Somer Schmidt (ESU) 6-0, 6-1

Doubles competition
1. Ivana Belejova/Kristina Savchenkov (NSU) def. Nicole Jara/ Taylor Smith (ESU) 9-8 (7-2)
2. Jeanne Mallem/Houda Bellamine (NSU) def. Alex Crowe/Kayla Fraley (ESU) 8-6
3. Tiffany Khounsombath/Somer Schmidt (ESU) def. Martina Bruzikova/Barbora Jirickova (NSU) 8-3

Match Notes:
Emporia State 6-2, 0-2 MIAA
Northeastern State 12-1, 5-0 MIAA
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (3,4,5,6,2,1)

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