ORLANDO, Fla. – The Milwaukee women's tennis team continued to battle through injury and dealing with its limited roster, falling to New Jersey Institute of Technology in its final match on the trip to Florida Thursday at the United States Tennis Association Center.
 
The Panthers (6-10) played well against the Highlanders (9-4) despite dropping a 4-0 decision in a match played to clinch.
 
"If you look at the scores, it did not reflect a 4-0 loss," head coach Mark Goldin said. "The entire match was super-close and the girls played incredible today. Most importantly, I feel very confident that we are playing our best tennis going into conference season next week. We faced some challenges this week with the roster but now we have some time to get the entire team healthy and I can't wait to start the Horizon League season."
 
In doubles play, Emilia Durska and Elisa Rubio gave Paula Menendez Alvarez and Feyza Aydin a real battle at No. 3, falling 6-4. Durska played doubles but was unable to compete in singles action.
 
In singles play, most of the finished matches were tight: Laure Razet fell 7-5, 6-4, at No. 3, while Sara Simonova battled at No. 4 in a 6-4, 6-3 decision.
 
In halted action, Nadiia Konieva won the first set against Laura Wipfli at No. 1, with the result finishing 6-3, 5-6, when the match was clinched by NJIT. Honoka Yamashita also had quite the battle going at No. 5, sitting dead-even at 6-4, 4-6, 1-1.
 
Up next, the Panthers return home to start Horizon League play, beginning when they host Oakland March 29.
 
N.J. Institute of Technology 4, Milwaukee 0
Singles competition
1. Nadiia Konieva (MKE) vs. Laura Wipfli (NJIT) 6-3, 5-6, unfinished
2. P. Menendez Alvarez (NJIT) def. Elisa Rubio (MKE) 6-2, 6-2
3. Shalom Salvi (NJIT) def. Laure Razet (MKE) 7-5, 6-4
4. Irene Cocero (NJIT) def. Sara Simonova (MKE) 6-4, 6-3
5. Honoka Yamashita (MKE) vs. Arina Babkova (NJIT) 6-4, 4-6, 1-1, unfinished
6. Giorgia Cavestro (MKE) vs. Feyza Aydin (NJIT) 6-7, 2-4, unfinished
Doubles competition
1. Irene Cocero/Laura Wipfli (NJIT) def. Nadiia Konieva/Sara Simonova (MKE) 6-2
2. Arina Babkova/Shalom Salvi (NJIT) def. Laure Razet/Giorgia Cavestro (MKE) 6-2
3. P. Menendez Alvarez/Feyza Aydin (NJIT) def. Emilia Durska/Elisa Rubio (MKE) 6-4