Hailey
The Emporia State tennis teams had a challenging Sunday in Lawrence, Kansas, as both the men’s and women’s squads competed against Rockhurst University.
It was a competitive day filled with tight matches, exciting tiebreakers, and strong individual performances. Although the Hornets fought hard, both teams ended up on the losing side against the Hawks.
Let’s take a closer look at how the action unfolded and what this means for Emporia State moving forward.
Men’s Match: Rockhurst 4, Emporia State 2
The men’s contest was very close and could have gone either way. The match started with doubles competition, where teams compete in pairs.
Doubles Action
Two of the three doubles matches were extremely tight and went into tiebreakers.
- Rockhurst won 6-3 at the No. 2 doubles spot.
- At No. 3 doubles, Luke West and Duvan Santiago Torres gave Emporia State a boost with a 7-6 (8-6) victory.
- The deciding doubles match at No. 1 also went to a tiebreaker, where Rockhurst secured a 7-6 (7-5) win.
Because Rockhurst won two out of three doubles matches, they earned the first point of the day and took an early 1-0 lead.
Singles Matches Turn Intense
Rockhurst extended their lead to 2-0 before Emporia State started to respond.
- Diego Calvo played a strong match and won 7-5, 6-1 to put the Hornets on the scoreboard.
- Mostafa Elbasnaly followed up with a confident 6-3, 6-2 win at No. 2 singles, tying the overall score at 2-2.
At this stage, the dual match was evenly balanced and highly competitive.
Deciding Moments
The No. 1 singles match went to three sets. Killian Guillou of Rockhurst defeated Anton Sarunic 7-5, 2-6, 6-2. That gave the Hawks a 3-2 advantage.
Rockhurst then clinched the overall victory with a straight-sets win at No. 5 singles. The No. 6 singles match was stopped because the team result had already been decided.
Even though the Hornets lost 4-2, it was a close and competitive battle.
Women’s Match: Rockhurst 4, Emporia State 0
The women’s match was more one-sided, but there were still moments of strong effort from Emporia State.
Doubles Sweep
Rockhurst started strong by sweeping all three doubles matches. This gave the Hawks an early 1-0 lead and put pressure on the Hornets heading into singles play.
Singles Competition
Rockhurst continued their dominance in singles.
- At No. 3 singles, the Hawks won 6-0, 6-0 to go up 2-0.
- Yuliya Klimova fought hard in her match. She won the first set 7-3 in a tiebreaker but lost the next two sets. That result pushed Rockhurst’s lead to 3-0.
- The Hawks sealed the victory with a 6-4, 7-5 win at No. 4 singles.
The remaining matches were stopped due to the late hour once Rockhurst secured the required four points to win.
Match Summary
| Category | Emporia State Men | Rockhurst Men | Emporia State Women | Rockhurst Women |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Final Score | 2 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Doubles Result | 1 Win | 2 Wins | 0 Wins | 3 Wins |
| Singles Highlights | Calvo, Elbasnaly won | Clinched at #5 | Klimova won first set | Dominated singles |
| Match Status | Completed | Won | Completed | Won |
What’s Next for Emporia State?
The Emporia State tennis teams will not have much time to rest. Both the men and women are scheduled to travel to Bolivar, Missouri, where they will face Southwest Baptist University on Friday, February 20. The match will be held at the John A. Bryant Tennis Center.
This upcoming competition gives the Hornets a chance to bounce back and regain momentum. After tough matches like these, teams often come back stronger with more focus and determination.
The matches against Rockhurst showed that Emporia State tennis has strong talent and fighting spirit, especially in close contests like the men’s dual. Even though both teams ended up with losses, there were bright spots, including important singles victories and competitive tiebreakers.
Every match offers learning experience, and these games will help the Hornets improve as the season continues. With another important match coming soon against Southwest Baptist, the team now has a fresh opportunity to turn things around and show their true potential on the court.