The Ball State women’s tennis team saw its perfect start to the spring season end with a 6-1 loss Wednesday to Big Ten opponent Michigan State.
The team won its previous three matches against IUPUI, Chicago State and Milwaukee to start the spring season 3-0.
Michigan State took control of the match early by sweeping the three doubles matches, and didn’t look back. At No. 1 doubles, Ball State’s freshman Courtney Earnest and freshman Ayaka Terashi fell to Marina Bohrer and Catherine Parenteau 8-4.
The closest doubles match for Ball State was at No. 2 doubles when sophomore Courtney Wild and freshman Bethany Moore fell to Nicole Herzog and Katarina Lingl 8-6.
Ball State was only able to claim one victory in the singles competition of the match, which was at No. 3 singles. In that pairing, Earnest defeated Michigan State’s Olga Chernova 6-2, 6-2 to get the lone win for Ball State on the afternoon.
Despite only getting one singles win, Ball State had three players go to three sets in their pairings.
At No. 2 singles, Wild took Parenteau to three sets before falling 6-3, 4-6, 6-4. Moore and Herzog went to three sets at No. 4 singles, with Herzog winning 6-4, 5-7, 7-5.
Junior Kristel Sanders was the third Ball State player to go to three sets before falling to Lingl 7-5, 5-7, 6-2.
Ball State coach Christine Bader, who played her collegiate tennis at Michigan State, could not be reached following the match.
The Cardinals will get a few days rest before having to face a doubleheader on Friday when it competes against Wright State and Dayton in Dayton, Ohio.
