Story by Adam Redfern, contributing writer

Last weekend Murray State began OVC play for tennis with two home games against Belmont University and Tennessee State University.

The Racers played against Belmont on March 15 and won the match 6-1. Murray State then faced off against Tennessee State on March 17, winning a hard-fought match 4-3. The two wins pushed Murray State to a .500 record at 6-6. Both matches were played in unsuitable conditions, with winds reaching up to 20 miles per hour.

Sophomore Claire Chang — Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Chang started her weekend by beating her singles opponent, Belmont’s Maria Plaksina, 6-2, 6-1. Chang also won over Tennessee State’s Ani Popiashvili 6-1, 6-0. Chang and junior Jeanne Masson began their weekend of doubles play with a loss to Belmont’s Drew Hawkins and Erin Allen 4-6, but they turned the weekend around with a 6-0 victory over Tennessee State’s Morgan Cage and Ashia Jones.

Freshman Stasya Sharapova — Astana, Kazakhstan

Sharapova began her weekend strong with a win in singles, winning her match 6-2, 6-1 against Belmont’s Drew Hawkins. Against Tennessee State’s Aarushi Kakkar, Sharapova fell short, losing 2-6, 3-6. In doubles, Sharapova and her partner sophomore Sara Bjork played well with the only doubles win against Belmont’s Mical Johnson and Sara
h Brackin 6-1 and another win against Tennessee State’s Pragati Natraj and Ani Popiashvili 6-4.

Freshman Aarja Chakraborty — Gautam Budh Nagar, India

Chakraborty saw more action this weekend and played two singles matches. Chakraborty started off with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Belmont’s Erin Allen. Chakraborty saw more success against Tennessee State’s Morgan Cage 6-0, 6-1.

Junior Amina Hadzic — Esbjerg, Denmark

Hadzic had a solid weekend, winning both singles matches. In singles, Hadzic won 6-0, 6-2 against Belmont’s Terra Sheldon; against Tennessee State’s Ashia Jones, Hadzic battled to a 2-6, 6-0, 6-2 victory. In doubles, Hadzic and sophomore Anja Loncarevic started slow with a loss to Belmont’s Maria Plaksina and Terra Sheldon 2-6. Hadzic and Anja Loncarevic did not get to finish their 5-3 doubles match against Tennessee State’s Kakkar and Abhilasha Vishwanath because Murray State won the other two doubles matches before they were able to finish.

Sophomore Anja Loncarevic — Guilherand Granges, France

Anja Loncarevic had split her weekend, winning one singles match, losing a doubles match and leaving one doubles match unfinished. Anja Loncarevic’s singles match was a victory against Belmont’s Sarah Brackin 6-2, 6-3 victory. However, she and Hadzic struggled with doubles, losing 2-6 to Belmont’s Maria Plaksina and Terra Sheldon. As mentioned, the doubles match was left unfinished because Murray State had already secured the points.

Masson won her singles match and split her two doubles matches. Masson’s singles match was a hardfought 7-5, 6-4 victory over Belmont’s Nikki Christiansen. Masson and Chang played a tough 4-6 loss to Belmont’s Hawkins and Allen, but they rebounded with a 6-0 victory over Tennessee State’s Cage and Jones.

Sophomore Sara Loncarevic — Guilherand Granges, France

Sara Loncarevic had only one match in this weekend of OVC play. Sara Loncarevic played in a tough loss 4-6, 3-6 to Tennessee State’s Vishwanath.
Sophomore Sara Bjork—Malmo, Sweden
Bjork played well in her only singles match; however, she fell short against Tennessee State’s Pragati Natraj 5-7, 5-7. Bjork and Sharapova had a great weekend together, winning both matches. Bjork and Sharapova won 6-1 against Belmont’s Johnson and Brackin and won 6-4 against Tennessee State’s Natraj and Popiashvili.

Murray State will take a road trip to Illinois, starting with a match against Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois on Tuesday, March 20, at 3 p.m. The Racers will follow that with Illinois State in Normal, Illinois on Wednesday, March 21 at 10 a.m.