Ohio Valley Conference

ST. LOUIS - The Lindenwood Women's Tennis team (8-7, 3-2 OVC) opened the first round of the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament on Friday morning with a 4-1 win over Western Illinois to advance to the OVC Tournament Semifinal round for the first time since becoming a member of the conference back in 2022-2023. The Lions were able to keep it close in doubles play, and added four straight singles wins to complete the season sweep over the Leathernecks. 

Lindenwood started off doubles play with a win at the two spot with Megan Caffin and Paola Garcia taking their match over WIU's Nour Gueblaoui and Nadezhda Petkova by a score of 6-4. The Leathernecks evened the doubles match at 1-1 after All-OVC Doubles Team Mana Fawcett and Jessica Hess took down Fabiana Labrador and Sofija Dunisijevic in a close contest at the number one spot by a score of 7-5. At the number three spot, Michelle Trochez and Mathilde Humbert took a 5-2 lead and was one point away from giving the Lions a 1-0 lead to start off the match, but Western Illinois battled back for a 7-6 (7-0) win to take the doubles point. 

Similar to the regular season, all four singles matches that the Lions won went to a third set. Labrador started things off for Lindenwood by tying the match at one after rallying from a first set loss to take her singles match at the number one spot by a score of 0-6, 6-1, 6-2. Dunisijevic would then give the Lions a 2-1 lead by also rallying after a first set loss with a 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 victory at the number five spot, and Humbert extended the lead with a three set win at the number six spot with a score of 6-7 (1-7), 6-2, 7-5. Megan Caffin clinched the fourth and final point for LU at the number three spot with a 6-2, 1-6, 6-1 win to pick up her ninth singles victory of the season and helped the Lions earn their eighth win of the 2026 season.

#2 SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 4, #7 SOUTHERN INDIANA 0
ST. LOUIS - The Southeast Missouri Tennis team got off to a quick start at the OVC Championships Friday afternoon. 

The No. 2 seeded Redhawks (10-13) defeated No. 7 Southern Indiana (1-16) in a 4-0 sweep. 

SEMO took the doubles point with Kristina Kozakova and Sofia Zemtsova winning 6-3 at No. 2 doubles, while Yontha Tadoum and Saskia Soome topped the No. 3 pair 6-4. The No. 1 pair of Maja Bajorek and Mia Mayerova was left unfinished trailing 5-4.

The Redhawks kept the foot on the gas in the singles matches winning three to clinch the match. Mayerova won her match at No. 2 singles 6-3, 6-2 to clinch the win and earn the fourth team point. Tadoum remailed perfect on the day winning the first point for the Redhawks 6-0 6-0 at No. 6 singles and Kozakova added to the score with a 6-1, 6-1 win at No. 4. 

Bajorek's match at No. 1 remained unfinished as she was leading 6-3, 3-0, and it was the same for Zemtsova who was winning 6-3, 4-1 at the time of the match being clinched and the final match that was played Soome was leading 6-4, 3-3 and that remained unfinished..

#3 BRYANT 4, #6 TENNESSEE STATE 0
ST. LOUIS -  The Bryant women's tennis team earned the 4-0 win over the Tennessee State Tigers in the OVC quarterfinals on Friday afternoon.

The Bulldogs advance to the semifinal round tomorrow against the No. 2 seed Southeast Missouri at 3:00 PM. It's a rematch of last year's OVC championship where Bryant emerged victorious.

The Bulldogs set the tone by clinching the doubles point to go up 1-0. The All-OVC Doubles Team of Natalia Vela and Maria Jose Hernandez earned the win at No. 1 doubles (6-2). Then, Lisa Dugec and Lucia Pino picked up the win at No. 2 doubles (6-3) to seal the doubles point.

Bryant utilized the momentum in singles play. Nicole Isman cruised to a win at No. 6 singles (6-0, 6-1) to put the Bulldogs up 3-0 in the match. Then, Hernandez sealed the deal with a win at No. 3 singles (6-2, 6-2) to clinch the win for the Bulldogs.