By Joel Wauters
WATERLOO, Iowa — The UNI women’s tennis team closed out regular season action on Saturday, scoring a 4-3 win over the Missouri State Bears in Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) play at the Black Hawk Tennis Club.
Finishing the regular season with a 4-4 conference dual record, Northern Iowa secures its first MVC Team Tournament berth since 2022 with the five-seed.
HOW IT HAPPENED
UNI grabbed an early lead in team scoring with Darta Dalecka and Lorena Cardoso cruising past Tuana Gunal and Billur Gonlusen in a 6-1 win. Kim Zizek and Andjela Raznatovic would drop the number two doubles bout by a 6-1 score, but the Panthers were able to secure the team doubles points thanks to a forfeit win in the number three match.
In singles, UNI was tested across the board in several multi-set matches, picking up three victories. Kanyanut Sudsaard outlasted Lola Federski 6-1, 7-6 after a competitive second set tiebreaker, as Raznatovic dominated the third set to beat Raluca Puscas in three sets, 6-3, 4-6, 6-1. The Panthers would grab their third singles win as Abbie Peterson won by forfeit. Dalecka, Cardoso and Zizek, all of whom were recognized prior to the dual on Senior Day, came up just short in hotly contested three set matches.
UP NEXT
The Panthers will travel to Valparaiso, Indiana for the 2025 MVC Team Tournament. UNI’s opening round dual will be played at 10 a.m. CT next Friday, April 25.
UNI 4, MISSOURI STATE 3
** Team awarded one point for winning two of three doubles matches
DOUBLES
#1 –Darta Dalecka/Lorena Cardoso (UNI) def. Tuana Gunal/Billur Gonlusen (MSU), 6-1
#2 – Sandra Lukacova/Raluca Puscas (MSU) def. Kim Zizek/ Andjela Raznatovic (UNI), 6-1
#3 – Kanyanut Sudsaard/Abbie Peterson (UNI) def. Unknown (MSU), Forfeit
ORDER OF FINISH: 3, 2, 1
SINGLES
#1 – Tuana Gunal (MSU) def. Darta Dalecka (UNI), 7-6, 5-7, 10-8
#2 – Billur Gonlusen (MSU) def. Lorena Cardoso (UNI), 6-3, 4-6, 6-4
#3 – Sandra Lukacova (MSU) def. Kim Zizek (UNI), 3-6, 6-3, 7-5
#4 – Andjela Raznatovic (UNI) def. Raluca Puscas (MSU), 6-3, 4-6, 6-1
#5 – Kanyanut Sudsaard (UNI) def. Lola Federski (MSU), 6-1, 7-6 (7-4)
#6 – Abbie Peterson (UNI) def. Unknown (MSU), Forfeit
ORDER OF FINISH: 6, 5, 4, 2, 3, 1