MILWAUKEE – The Milwaukee women's tennis team took reigning Horizon League champion Youngstown State to the brink today, falling by a final score of 4-3 Sunday afternoon at River Glen Elite.
 
"We knew it was going to be a battle," head coach Mark Goldin said. "We figured it was going to be 4-3 one way or the other, win-or-lose. And knowing that we competed as hard as we could and left it all on the court, we are able to live with the result."
 
The Panthers (7-10, 1-2 Horizon League) played inspired tennis on "Senior Day" against the Penguins (5-12, 2-1 Horizon League), who pulled out the clinching singles decision in the end to escape with the victory.
 
"Our confidence going into the conference tournament at the end of the month is even higher now that we have played the top two seeds in our conference," Goldin said. "We feel that with a few weeks of practice, fixing up a few things, that we can come home with a championship this year."
 
With all courts finished except No. 5 singles, YSU picked up a back-and-forth decision to clinch it after nearly three hours on the courts for the day.
 
MKE got off to a great start, claiming the doubles points with wins at No. 3 and No. 1, with the two seniors on the roster – Babette Burgersdijk and Iva Stejskalova – each part of the winning tandems.
 
Stejskalova and Emilia Durska were the first to finish, taking out Lili Minich and Line Greyling by a score of 6-2. Shortly after that, Burgersdijk and Nadiia Konieva then clinched the point with another 6-2 decision over Eliska Masarikova and Maria Oliveira.
 
YSU quicky leveled the match at 1-1 with a victory at No. 6 singles. Burgersdijk then put Milwaukee back ahead with a fun one, taking a 7-6 (7-1), 7-6 (7-5) decision at No. 1 over the 'Guins Eliska Masarikova. She won the first set and then raced out to a 5-0 lead in the second, only to see her opponent string together an incredible comeback and take the 6-5 advantage. Burgersdijk then broke serve right back to send it to 6-6 and claimed the tiebreaker, 7-5. The tiebreak was back-and-forth as well, taking an early 2-0 lead, then falling behind 4-3, before the decisive push to close it out.
 
The Penguins came through with wins at No. 4 and No. 2, once again taking the lead at 3-2.
 
Laure Razet made sure it would be a thrilling finish, defeating Lorena Cedeno 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. Down big early in the third, she erased the deficit and broke serve to take the 5-4 lead before closing it out.
 
"She was down 3-1 in the third and fought hard every point," Goldin said. "We really have a strong team atmosphere right now, where we're not just playing for ourselves, but we are playing for the whole team and that is really pushing people to take it to the next level during these matches."
 
The team continues with Horizon League play next, traveling to Illinois to battle Chicago State Saturday. The match will get underway at 12 p.m.
 
"It was an awesome senior day," Goldin said after post-match ceremonies were held for Burgersdijk and Stejskalova. "We are lucky to have the seniors that we have on the team and the rest of the season, the last couple of weeks here, is about sending them off in the right way."
 
Youngstown State 4, Milwaukee Panthers 3
Singles competition
1. Babette Burgersdijk (MKE) def. Eliska Masarikova (YSU) 7-6 (7-1), 7-6 (7-5)
2. Julia Marko (YSU) def. Nadiia Konieva (MKE) 7-5, 6-2
3. Laure Razet (MKE) def. Lorena Cedeno (YSU) 4-6, 6-3, 6-4
4. Elinor Beazley (YSU) def. Sara Simonova (MKE) 2-6, 6-1, 6-3
5. Lili Minich (YSU) def. Emilia Durska (MKE) 6-3, 4-6, 6-4
6. Yeseniia Ovcharova (YSU) def. Evelina Anastasi (MKE) 6-3, 6-0
Doubles competition
1. Babette Burgersdijk/Nadiia Konieva (MKE) def. Eliska Masarikova/Maria Oliveira (YSU) 6-2
2. Laure Razet/Sara Simonova (MKE) vs. Julia Marko/Lorena Cedeno (YSU) 4-4, unfinished
3. Iva Stejskalova/Emilia Durska (MKE) def. Lili Minich/Line Greyling (YSU) 6-2