Lady Raiders Drop 4-3 Decision to Marshall

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - The 63rd-ranked Middle Tennessee Lady Raiders dropped a 4-3 decision Sunday to Marshall in women's tennis action at the Racquet Club. The match was moved indoors due to the inclement weather.

The Lady Raiders (7-8) lost the doubles point to the Thundering Herd (6-4), winning at No. 1 but dropping the other two matches. Middle Tennessee's 16th-ranked duo of Manon Kruse and Stacy Varnell defeated Anna Mitina and Alice Sukner, 8-4. Jessica Johnson and Ashley Kroh won 8-3 over MT's Verena Preiss and Jennifer Klaschka, and Marshall's Danielle Hock and Joelle Good took an 8-6 decision against Carien Venter and Michaela Gridling.

In singles play, the 32nd-ranked Cruse won 6-1, 6-2 over Johnson at No.1. The Lady Raiders also got victories from Venter at No. 4 and Varnell at No. 6. Venter took a 6-4, 6-3 decision over Good, and Varnell won 6-4, 7-5 against Hock.

Preiss lost at No. 2, 6-4, 5-7, 3-6, to Mitina, and Gridling dropped a 0-6, 2-6 decision to Sukner. Tanja Buchheim lost 3-6, 6-1, 1-6 to Lille Nzudi at No. 5.

#75 Marshall 4, #63 Middle Tennessee 3
SINGLES
1. (32) Manon Kruse def. Jessica Johnson, 6-1, 6-2
2. Anna Mitina def. Verena Preiss, 4-6, 7-5, 6-3
3. Alice Sukner def. Michaela Gridling, 6-0, 6-2
4. Carien Venter def. Joelle Good, 6-4, 6-3
5. Lille Nzudi def. Tana Buchheim, 6-3, 1-6, 6-1
6. Stacy Varnell def. Danielle Hock, 6-4, 7-5

DOUBLES
1. (16) Kruse/Varnell def. Mitina/Sukner, 8-4
2. Johnson/Ashley Kroh def. Preiss/Jennifer Klaschka, 8-3
3. Hock/Good def. Venter/Gridling, 8-6

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