INDIANAPOLIS -- No. 5 Midwestern State made an historic run to the final round of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's Division II Indoor Championships.

There, the Mustangs ran into a buzz saw in No. 1-ranked Barry (Fla.), which featured three Division I transfers in a lineup that included the No. 1-ranked player at the top of the singles' order and the 19th-ranked one at No. 6.

It all resulted in a 4-0 sweep for the Buccaneers, who improved to 7-1 on the season. MSU suffered its first loss of the campaign to drop to 6-1.

Barry claimed the doubles point with Dinara Alloiarova and Louane Lutringer rolling to a 6-0 win over MSU's Sarah Mazaraki and Sydney Williams at No. 3 before Maria Tatarnikova and Vikoriia Dema clinched the point with a 6-3 win over Camila Garcia and Hannah Yip at No. 1.

MSU's Jessica Binzari and Anda Ghinga, ranked 13th in NCAA Division II, held a 4-3 lead over Allen Crespo and Andrea Di Palma at No. 2 before the match was abandoned.

Barry charged to victory by taking three, straight-set wins in singles.

No. 19-ranked Angela Leweurs was first off of the courts, taking a 6-1, 6-1 win over Williams at No. 6, then Di Palma, the No. 10-ranked player in D2, defeated No. 9 Sofia Giraldo 6-0, 6-1 at No. 3.

Lutringer delivered the clinching win with her 6-0, 6-1 victory over Ghinga at No. 4.

Binzari claimed Midwestern's lone set by taking a 6-1 win over No. 1-ranked Alina Michalitsch at at No. 1 singles. Michalitsch led the second set, 4-2, when the match was clinched.

Yip bounced back from a 6-3 setback to Dema in the first set at No. 2 singles, and was leading the second set, 4-3, when the match was abandoned.

Barry's transfers included Di Palma from Louisville, Alloiarova from Kansas State, and Tatarnikova from Drake.

Midwestern State returns to action when it opens the UT Tyler Invitational Friday against Auburn-Montgomery (Ala.). First serve is set for 1 p.m.
   Read Full Article