KALAMAZOO, Mich. - The Western Michigan women's tennis team opened Mid-American Conference action with a 4-3 victory over Ball State University Friday afternoon inside West Hills Athletic Club. 

The win snaps a four-match losing skid against the Cardinals, as the last WMU win over Ball State came in 2015. 

The doubles point came down to court two as the Broncos and Cardinals traded wins on court one and three. Down 2-0, Melina Lyubomirova and Femke Tjon-A-Joe, the reigning MAC Doubles Team of the Week, stormed back to defeat Sec/Swiderski 6-3 to give the Broncos a 1-0 lead.

WMU opened singles competition taking a 3-0 lead after wins at courts one and two from senior co-captains Melina Lyubomirova and Denise Azcui.

Ball State answered with a win at the No. 3 spot to trim the WMU lead to 3-1, but Kristina Tiraspolsky prevailed in a three-set victory at court No. 6 for the match-clinching point for the Broncos.

Western Michigan 4, Ball State 3
 
Singles competition
1. Melina Lyubomirova (WTENWMU) def. Audrey Berger (BALLST) 6-3, 7-6 (7-4)
2. Denise Azcui (WTENWMU) def. Sarah Swiderski (BALLST) 6-1, 6-4
3. Peyton Gollhofer (BALLST) def. Katja Fevralev (WTENWMU) 6-3, 7-6 (7-3)
4. Rebecca Herrington (BALLST) def. Femke Tjon-A-Joe (WTENWMU) 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-2)
5. Isabelle Dohanics (BALLST) def. Valerie Riegraf (WTENWMU) 6-2, 7-5
6. Kristina Tiraspolsky (WTENWMU) def. Lilya Hadab (BALLST) 1-6, 6-1, 7-5
 
Doubles competition
1. Katja Fevralev/Kristina Tiraspolsky (WTENWMU) def. Audrey Berger/Rebecca Herrington (BALLST) 6-2
2. Melina Lyubomirova/Femke Tjon-A-Joe (WTENWMU) def. Victoria Sec/Sarah Swiderski (BALLST) 6-3
3. Peyton Gollhofer/Isabelle Dohanics (BALLST) def. Denise Azcui/Gabriela Slavova (WTENWMU) 6-1

Up Next
Western Michigan, now 9-7 overall and 1-0 in the MAC, travels to Rockford, Ill. to face Northern Illinois University on Sunday, March 24. Doubles are slated to begin at 2 p.m. (ET). 

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