It was a battle of the win streaks at David Markin Tennis Courts this past Sunday, as Bradley tennis (5-4) snapped their four-match win streak with a 4-1 defeat at the hands of Kansas City, who extended their streak to the same number.
The Braves lost the doubles point for the second week in a row after dropping No. 1 and No. 3. Sophomores Bozana Lojpur and Nikki Perlwitz had a hard-fought battle at the No. 3 flight, losing in a tiebreaker 7-6 (5).
The team saw an uncharacteristic struggle in singles, with junior Sandra Maletin picking up the lone point at No. 1, 2-6, 6-1, 6-2, for her eighth singles win in a row. The match was already decided after the Roos won at No. 6, so No. 2 and No. 4 singles were left unfinished. Notably, Lojpur was at match point at No. 2 when it was abandoned.
“We lost doubles, but I think we played good,” Maletin said. “I think we could’ve made better decisions, but I don’t think we played bad. There was nothing I had to reset [going into] singles.”
Maletin now holds the best singles winning percentage among players with at least 50 career singles matches played in school history.
While this loss may not bode well for the upcoming Missouri Valley Conference matchups, head coach Matt Tyler thinks it was a good way to prepare for what’s to come.
“I think today was a great tune-up for us,” Tyler said. “It’s getting to that point of the season where it’s been a grind, but at the same time we’ve got the conference season coming up, so it’s sort of managing all the stresses that are going on and still trying to come away with wins.”
The first conference match will be against rival Illinois State tomorrow at 11 a.m.
“I don’t have to explain the importance of trying to beat Illinois State to our team,” Tyler said. “They understand how much that match means to us. I have no doubt that we’ll be ready to go and prepared for it.”
Maletin, a senior with her own history with the Redbirds over the past several seasons, knows the matchup will be tough.
“We know each other very well, so that can be beneficial but also that can be tough,” Maletin said. “I’m confident that this year we’re gonna win against ISU and that we’re gonna win the [conference] regular season.”
As for the team’s strengths against the conference, Tyler trusts their singles play and their endurance through long matches.
“I think we’re playing better singles than we are doubles right now,” Tyler said. “We’re always gonna continue to work on our doubles play and hopefully come away with those doubles points, but . . . I think our fitness is really good right now, we’re able to grind out some long matches [and] I feel like we’re in a good spot with respect to our athleticism and our ability to stay out on the court for as long as we need.”
The match against ISU will be played at the David Markin Tennis Courts, weather permitting.
