After a hot start against Southeast Missouri State, Bradley fell 6-1 against the Redhawks on March 5 in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. After winning the doubles point, things went south for the Braves.
At No. 1 Doubles, sophomore Madalena Andrade and freshman Kirstin Hailey won 6-1, while sophomore Maria Bezmenova and senior Nina Marjanovic came back from a 1-4 deficit to win 6-4 at the No. 3 position.
“Me and [Andrade] have been working together since the start of the semester,” Hailey said. “We were adjusting in the first couple of weeks, but as the months started to continue, we definitely started working together better … I definitely think we did really good last weekend at communicating and working together and that’s what really helped us.”
Bradley could not carry over the momentum from its doubles point, as SEMO went on to win each singles match. Marjanovic’s four-match winning streak came to a close as she lost in three sets. She was the lone Brave to make it to the third set.
“I was super happy with the way we played doubles; it just didn’t go our way in singles, unfortunately,” Bradley head coach Matt Tyler said.
The trip to the Redhawks Tennis Complex in Cape Girardeau was the first time the Braves played outside this season.
“Whenever we would toss the ball, the wind would just take the toss, so that was hard,” Hailey said. “[My opponent and I] were both adjusting to it and she was very consistent and had a very good forehand and we had some really good rallies, but in the end, she just got a couple more games than me.”
“[Hailey’s] just a freshman,” Tyler added. “Playing No. 2 is tough. Getting thrown into the wolves, there’s no such thing as a bad Division I college tennis team. Every single team is going to have a good No. 1 and No. 2 at least, and she is up against it every week and competing really well.”
Bradley will look to bounce back as they will be spending their spring break away from Illinois in the much warmer climate of Orlando, Florida against Merrimack, Navy and North Dakota from March 15-17.
“I’m so excited,” Hailey said. “I’ve been to the place we’re playing in Orlando before, and I love it. The courts are beautiful there and it’s so warm.
