KALAMAZOO, Mich. - The Western Michigan Women's Tennis team lost a close match inside West Hills Athletic Club on Sunday morning, falling to the University Cincinnati, 4-3.

With the loss the Brown and Gold fall to .500 on the season with a 4-4 record.

The Broncos picked up the doubles point to start the match off. The duo of Melina Lyubomirova and Femke Tjon-A-Joe (6-4) and Denise Azcui and Gabriela Slavova (6-4) picked up wins on courts two and three to clinch the point.

In singles play, the Broncos earned wins on courts one (Lyubomirova) and four (Tjon-A-Joe). With the score tied up at 3-3, Azcui took Antonella Bramato of Cincinnati to a tie breaker at No. 2, but fell in the second set, 2-6, 7-6(5).

"Two tough matches this weekend," said head coach Ryan Tomlinson. "I thought we played much better doubles here today compared to Friday, which got us an early lead but couldn't quite find the momentum in singles to get that fourth point."

Cincinnati 4, Western Michigan 3
 
Singles competition
1. Melina Lyubomirova (WMU) def. Ioana Guna (CIN) 6-0, 6-4
2. Antonella Bramato (CIN) def. Denise Azcui (WMU) 6-2, 7-6 (7-5)
3. Caroline Morton (CIN) def. Katja Fevralev (WMU) 6-4, 6-2
4. Femke Tjon-A-Joe (WMU) def. Alexia Coutino (CIN) 6-4, 6-1
5. Maria Santilli (CIN) def. Kristina Tiraspolsky (WMU) 6-4, 6-2
6. Emma Miceli (CIN) def. Jeryn Jack (WMU) 6-2, 6-1
 
Doubles competition
1. Antonella Bramato/Alexia Coutino (CIN) def. Katja Fevralev/Kristina Tiraspolsky (WMU) 6-2
2. Melina Lyubomirova/Femke Tjon-A-Joe (WMU) def. Ioana Guna/Anna Philp (CIN) 6-4
3. Denise Azcui/Gabriela Slavova (WMU) def. Emma Miceli/Caroline Morton (CIN) 6-4

"We don't shy away from playing good team and these last two matches will make us better as we head towards conference play," Tomlinson commented. "We're looking forward to the challenge of getting better this week and looking to bounce back versus Green Back next Friday."

Up Next
Western Michigan will be back in action on Friday, Feb. 15 inside West Hills Athletic Club, hosting Green Bay. First serve is set for 5 p.m.

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