The Murray State women’s tennis team continued its road stretch with two victories in a Sunday doubleheader. The Racers defeated Central Arkansas and Arkansas Tech, improving to a 5-6 record as they build momentum ahead of Missouri Valley Conference play later this month.
The day began with a tightly contested match against Central Arkansas, marking Murray State’s first outdoor competition of the season. On a cold morning in Searcy, Arkansas, the Racers fought hard to claim the doubles point. The duo of Varya Alexeyeva and Paola Campigotto set the tone with a 6-2 win on court No. 3. Central Arkansas responded with a 6-4 victory on court No. 1, evening the score.
The decisive moment came on court No. 2, where Yu Kikawa and Yuna Kadowaki staged a late comeback. Trailing 4-5, they rallied to win three straight games, securing a 7-5 victory and earning the crucial doubles point for Murray State.
In singles play, Central Arkansas took early leads on five of six courts, putting the Racers in a difficult position. However, freshman Yu Kikawa and sophomore Varya Alexeyeva turned the tide. Kikawa won her first set 6-4, while Alexeyeva surged back from behind, winning six straight games for a 7-5 victory.
With the match tied 3-3, all eyes turned to court No. 5, where freshman Bruna Melato fought to force a third set. Rising to the challenge, she delivered a dominant 6-2 performance, sealing a 4-3 victory for the Racers.
Just an hour later, Murray State returned to action against Arkansas Tech. The Golden Suns took an early 3-2 lead in doubles, but the Racers quickly regained control. The pair of Melato and Valeria Chaikovskaia secured a 6-3 win on court No. 1. Kikawa and Kadowaki followed with a 6-4 victory, while Alexeyeva and Campigotto closed out a 7-5 win, pushing their season record as a duo to 16-2.
Murray State dominated in singles play, winning the first set on all six courts. Freshmen Molly Null and Barbora Hermanova led the charge, giving the Racers a 3-0 lead.
Sophomore Valeria Chaikovskaia rebounded from her earlier doubles loss with a strong 6-3, 6-2 singles victory, clinching the win for Murray State. Kikawa and Campigotto followed with commanding straight-set victories.
Although Alexeyeva fought through a grueling third-set tiebreak, she narrowly fell 12-10. Despite the loss, the Racers secured a decisive 6-1 victory in their first-ever match against Arkansas Tech.
Reflecting on the weekend, Head Coach Jorge Caetano praised his team’s resilience. “Playing outdoors is always a challenge, and I’m very proud of the team for finding a way to win,” Caetano said. “UCA is always tough, and for years we’ve struggled in our first outdoor match. It wasn’t perfect, but we got the job done. The girls supported each other well, the energy was high, and we’re happy to return home with two wins.”
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