Nava highlights Blue Raider efforts on day two

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Junior Carla Nava, competing in just her second match back from injury, tallied the lone singles win Saturday for the Middle Tennessee women's tennis team at the June Stewart Invitational in Nashville, Tenn.

Nava, competing in the Jeannie Stotts Draw, defeated Alexis Webb of Murray State in the consolation semifinals 6-2, 6-4. Because of other players withdrawing on the other side of the bracket and to prevent a rematch with Webb, Nava will move to the Lori Alexander Draw Sunday to face Memphis' Stefanie Mikesz in what would be a third-place match.

Two other Blue Raiders have been competing in the Lori Alexander Draw, including junior Taylor Coffey who also has recently returned to the courts after an injury sidelined her much of the fall. Coffey dropped a 6-4, 6-2 decision to Murray State's Ashley Canty in the consolation semifinals. The tournament is not over, however, for her, as she will face Memphis' Kelly Gray Sunday.

Sophomore Yuiri Nomoto, who entered the event with MT's best fall singles record at 12-2, was knocked off 6-3, 6-3 in the Lori Alexander Draw semifinals by Vanderbilt's Chelsea Preeg. She will move to the Jeannie Stotts Draw Sunday to square off against Webb, taking the place of Nava in the flight.

Juniors Alex Dachos and Marietta Bigus also did not fare well Saturday in their respective matches. Dachos was handed a 6-2, 6-2 setback against Vanderbilt's Erica Robertson in the semifinals of the Brett Peterson Draw. She will face Purdue's Kirsten Magi for third place Sunday.

Bigus won more games, but could not complete the victory in dropping a 7-5, 6-4 contest to Vanderbilt's Rachael Dillon in the Laina Balafas semifinals. She also will be looking to claim third place Sunday, as she meets Memphis' Kathleen Hawkins.

The Middle Tennessee doubles pairings also struggled in the Professor Valentine Draw Saturday. Nava and Bigus started the day with an 8-2 triumph over Belmont's Abigail Hogan and Natalia Nunes in the West quarterfinals, but the doubles team could not keep the momentum. It later lost to Purdue's Remi Martin and Gisella Pere in the semifinals in a tiebreaker, 9-8 (6).

The duo will play against Lipscomb's Kara Jackson and Alyssa Bellini in the Northwest bracket Sunday.

Vanderbilt's Jackie Wu and Preeg recorded an 8-2 win against Nomoto and Dachos in the East quarterfinals. The Blue Raider tandem then was moved to the North bracket, where it dropped an 8-3 decision in the semifinals to Gray and Hawkins of Memphis.

The Middle Tennessee duo will next face Belmont's Lindsay Bennett and Spenser-Anne Edwards in Round Robin action Sunday.

Sunday's third-day action begins at 9 a.m. at the Currey Tennis Center in Nashville, Tenn.

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