Bradley University Athletics

UMKC Survives Tight Match at Bradley

Defending WAC champion UMKC pulled out a hard-fought dual match at Bradley Saturday afternoon

Match Results

Bobby Parker, Associate AD for Communications Women's Tennis 1/26/2019 4:30:00 PM

Box Score PEORIA, IL – A tightly-contested dual from the beginning, defending Western Athletic Conference champion UMKC pulled out a 4-3 victory against host Bradley (1-1) Saturday afternoon at the Clubs at River City north building.

UMKC (1-0) claimed a hard-fought doubles point to get the team scoring started. After the Kangaroos took the first doubles match with a 6-2 win in the No. 3 position, both the Nos. 1 and 2 spots went to tie-breakers. UMKC secured the point with a 7-6 (3) victory at No. 2 Doubles, while Bradley's No. 1 pairing of Natalia Barbery/Sandra Maletin salvaged the final doubles match with a 7-6 (9) triumph.

The Kangaroos stretched their lead to 3-1 by sandwiching straight-sets wins at Nos. 4 and 2 Singles around Sandra Maletin's 6-3, 6-3 win at No. 1 Singles. Showing fight against the defending Western Athletic Conference champion, Bradley forced each of the final three matches to third sets, but UMKC earned the clinching point when Thanushree Vale held off sophomore Nina Marjanovic at No. 5 Singles 6-3, 5-7, 6-3.

Though the team victory had been decided, freshman Nikki Perlwitz and senior Malini Wijesinghe played out their third set matches. Perlwitz battled throughout a tight match to earn a 7-5, 4-6, 7-5 win in the No. 6 spot for her first career dual match singles victory. Wijesinghe closed out the day with her second 3-set win to start the new season, completing a 5-7, 6-3, 7-5 win at No. 3 Singles.

The Braves will conclude their season-opening, 4-match home stand by hosting a doubleheader next Saturday at the Clubs at River City. Bradley will take on Omaha in a 9 a.m. match, followed by a dual against Eastern Illinois at 2 o'clock. Admission for all Bradley Tennis regular-season home matches is free.

BRADLEY TENNIS DUAL MATCH RESULTS
UMKC at BRADLEY
Saturday Jan. 26, 2019 | 12:00 p.m. | Peoria, IL | Clubs at River City (North)

Doubles