Lady Raiders Drop 4-2 Decision

MOBILE, Ala. - The 61st-ranked Middle Tennessee Lady Raiders dropped the doubles point but battled back in singles, only to drop a 4-2 decision to Arkansas State Friday in the opening round of the Sun Belt Championships at the Mobile Tennis Center.

The sixth-seeded Indians defeated Western Kentucky, 6-0, Friday morning to reach the quarterfinal match against the Lady Raiders. And ASU picked up where it left off in the morning, taking the doubles point by winning at the top two positions.

Middle Tennessee's Jennifer Klaschka and Carien Venter started the doubles off with an 8-3 victory over Julia Searle and Megan McCoy. But then sisters Gija and Liga Geme defeated the 12th-ranked Middle Tennessee duo of Stacy Varnell and Manon Kruse, 8-5, at No. 1, while Magui Cibils-Gezgin and Marusa Pogacnik won 8-4 over Emily Vest and Michaela Gridling to give the Indians the point.

Liga Geme gave the Indians a 2-0 lead, defeating Klaschka, 6-2, 6-3, at No. 2, but 33rd-ranked Kruse cut into the ASU lead with a 7-5, 6-2 victory over Gija Geme at No. 1.

Cibils-Gezgin overcame losing the first set to win 1-6, 6-2, 6-2, over Gridling at No. 3, but Venter kept the Blue Raiders in the match with a 2-6, 6-2, 6-1 win at No. 5 over Searle. Varnell dropped the deciding match in a tiebreaker at No. 6, losing 6-7 (2), 6-2, 7-6 (4) to Pogacnik.

The Lady Raiders play Arkansas-Little Rock at 9 a.m. Saturday in the consolation part of the bracket.

#41 MIDDLE TENNESSEE 4, DENVER 0
SINGLES
1. (33) Manon Kruse (MT) def. Gija Geme (ASU), 7-5, 6-2
2. Liga Geme (ASU) def. Jennifer Klaschka (MT), 6-2, 6-3
3. Magui Cibils-Gezgin (ASU) def. Michaela Gridling (MT), 1-6, 6-2, 6-2
4. Tanja Buchheim (MT) vs. Megan McCoy (ASU), DNF
5. Carien Venter (MT) def. Julia Searle (ASU), 2-6, 6-4, 6-2
6. Marusa Pogacnik (ASU) def. Stacy Varnell (MT), 6-7 (2), 6-2, 7-6 (4)

DOUBLES 1. Geme-Geme (ASU) def. (12) Kruse-Varnell (MT), 8-5
2. Cibils-Gezgin-Pogacnik (ASU) def. Emily Vest-Gridling (MT), 8-4
3. Klaschka-Venter (MT) def. McCoy-Searle (ASU), 8-3

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