MILWAUKEE – The Milwaukee women's tennis team put together a strong performance across the board but came up short against Marquette, falling by a final score of 5-2 at Elite Sports Club - North Shore Sunday afternoon.
 
"I feel positively about our progress today," head coach Ryan Kucera said. "The doubles point was tight. On serve, from the baseline, and at net, we were playing at a great level. Our returning, however, was not strong enough. Marquette served very well, and we didn't adjust. They were able to breeze through many of their service games, which put a lot of pressure on our service games."
 
MKE fell at No. 1, but was ahead at No. 3 doubles with Nadiia Konieva and Giorgia Cavestro up, 5-4, when the Golden Eagles earned the team point with a tough 6-4 decision at No. 2.
 
Three of the six singles matches were competitive, back-and-forth thrillers, with two of them going to third sets and another featuring a tie-breaker in the first. Milwaukee did pull out a pair of victories in singles action, but not enough to swing the final scoreline.
 
"In singles, we must do the dirty work, which is building points through quality crosscourts," Kucera said. "We improved in that, but it's still not where it needs to be across the board. If we want to earn offensive opportunities, it comes from being brilliant with the basics, which is making as many high-quality crosscourt balls as necessary to create chances."
 
At No. 3, Nadiia Konieva dispatched Lara Kaiser by a final score of 7-6 (6-4), 6-2. Alice Shields overcame a late deficit in the third set to earn a big 6-3, 2-6, 11-9 decision over Emma Davis, while Sara Simonova dropped a 6-3, 4-6, 10-5 heartbreaker to Sarah Badawi at the No. 5 position.
 
"Nadiia was excellent today," Kucera said. "She was serving huge and pressuring her opponent through big high-percentage shots. She was also extremely tough and disciplined on big points. Alice and Sara also had fantastic matches. I am immensely proud of Ali, she was down 5-9 in the super tiebreak, and she played fearlessly to come back and take the match from her opponent."
 
Up next, the Panthers start a three-match homestand, welcoming Northern Iowa March 4. Start time is slated for 1 p.m.
 
"Overall, the biggest positive I saw was in our energy and support of one another," Kucera said. "We fought as one with heart from beginning to end. It was a great atmosphere. We were loud, and really impassioned in our support of each other. Each athlete gave all their energy to support and help their teammates along. If we can keep that kind of unity and spirit, along with more emphasis on the fundamentals, we are poised for a great second half of the season."
 
Marquette 5, Milwaukee 2
Singles competition
1. Emilija Kojcic (MARQ) def. Babette Burgersdijk (MKE) 6-0, 6-2
2. Elisabeth Desmarais (MARQ) def. Anika Tylek (MKE) 6-2, 6-1
3. Nadiia Konieva (MKE) def. Lara Kaiser (MARQ) 7-6 (6-4), 6-2
4. Alice Shields (MKE) def. Emma Davis (MARQ) 6-3, 2-6, 11-9
5. Sarah Badawi (MARQ) def. Sara Simonova (MKE) 6-3, 4-6, 10-5
6. Elizabeth Ferdman (MARQ) def. Anouk Ma-Ajong (MKE) 6-2, 6-0
 
Doubles competition
1. Emilija Kojcic/Elisabeth Desmarais (MARQ) def. Babette Burgersdijk/Sara Simonova (MKE) 6-2
2. Julieanne Bou/Lara Kaiser (MARQ) def. Alice Shields/Iva Stejskalova (MKE) 6-4
3. Giulia Turconi/Tiana Windbuchler (MARQ) vs. Nadiia Konieva/Giorgia Cavestro (MKE) 4-5, unfinished