The Sam Houston State University Tennis program hosted two dual matches at the McAdams Tennis Center over the weekend where the team fell to the University of Central Arkansas 6-1 and Bradley 4-3.
On Sunday the Bearkats took on UCA in a conference match where senior Maddie Mortimore secured the only point for the team in the singles competition. After a first set loss, the senior bounced back to defeat UCA’s sophomore Rada Manataweewat 7-5 and 6-2 at number five singles.
In the doubles competition sophomores Fabienne Gettwart and Mila Milanovic teamed up to defeat Marli Van Heerden and Xylia Chunan Xiang 6-3 at the number one set, while the Bearkats were defeated in the number two and three sets.
“In order to improve we have to get used to playing every point like it’s the last point, with 100 percent focus and fight,” Mortimore said.
In the singles competition, the Bearkats held first set leads in numerous positions. In the fourth position, Milanovic defeated freshman Marli Van Heerden 0-6 in the first set but was defeated in the last two while sophomore Caitlyn Mitchell topped senior Krizia Buck 4-6 in the first set but also fell short in the last two sets.
After a two-week break, the Bearkats went on to play Bradley on Friday in the team’s last non-conference game.
In the doubles competition, Milanovic and Gettwart teamed up to defeat sophomore Alexa Brandt and junior Ashley Thai 6-4 at the number one position while Mortimore and Mitchell topped sophomore Alejandra de Lasa and freshman Malini Wijesinghe 6-3 in the number three position.
In the number three position in the singles competition, freshman Ema Barkovic defeated Brandt in a 6-0, 6-0 sweep while Milanovic topped Thai in a three game set 3-6, 7-5 and 7-5 in the fourth position.
The match point was decided in the fifth singles position in the match against Mortimore and sophomore Aimee Manfredo. While Mortimore held Manfredo in the first set, the senior was defeated in a three game set 4-6, 6-4 and 6-2.
The Bearkats are currently 6-8 for the year and hold a 1-4 record in conference play.
“We have to focus on the matches ahead and not the current standings,” Mortimore said. “Each match we’ve played we could have won, so we will not be discouraged and continue to look forward. “
Mortimore currently holds a 12-2 singles record and is 5-0 in Southland play. Milanovic is 9-5 with a conference record of 3-2 and Barkovic holds a season record of 8-6 and is 2-3 in conference play.
“I am happy, but not satisfied yet with my record,” Mortimore said. “I want to beat every person who is put in front of me and will continue to do everything to do
so.”
The Bearkats will continue on with conference play as they travel to Corpus Christi on Friday to take on Texas A&M Corpus Christi. From there, the Bearkats will travel to San Antonio on Saturday to play against Incarnate Word.
