JONESBORO, Ark. (3/10/12) – The Arkansas State tennis team won its sixth straight match on Saturday with a 4-3 victory over Alabama-Birmingham.

In singles competition freshman Mariana Rong and senior Ceara Howey each pushed their winning streaks to six straight, while freshman Tamara Slijepcevic had her eight match winning streak snapped with a loss.

“This was a good win for us,” ASU tennis coach Marina Engelbrecth said. “We played a tough team today. I was really proud of Mariana today. She really played well in singles competition for us.”

Rong defeated Isabell Fernandez 6-1, 6-3 in the No. 1 singles position, while Howey captured a 6-4, 6-0 victory over Sarah Witkowski in the No. 6 match. Biljana Miloshevska also captured a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Menanteau Moolman in the No. 4 singles match.

In the No. 2 singles match Slijepcevic was defeated by Paula Alvarez 7-5, 6-7, 11-9 to end her winning streak. The loss was the first of the year for the freshman from Novi Sad, Serbia. In the No. 3 Rachell Daniell defeated ASU’s Janie Nowland 6-4, 3-6, 10-5, while Caroline Faught defeated ASU junior Ioana Teu 6-2, 6-3.

In doubles competition the Red Wolves captured the point by winning two of the three matches. In the No. 1 doubles match Rong and Teu defeated Alavarez and Fernandez 8-3, while Jess Heeps-Eriksen and Slijepcevic defeated Cohen and Faught 8-4 in the No. 3 doubles match to clinch the point. In the No. 2 match Daniell and Moolman defeated Nowland and Miloshevska 8-5.

The Red Wolves will return to the courts on Friday, March 16 in Jonesboro, Ark., for a match against Northwestern State. First serve is set for 11 a.m. at Allen Park.

Tennis Match Results

Arkansas State vs Alabama-Birmingham

Mar 10, 2012 at Birmingham, Ala.

Arkansas State 4, Alabama-Birmingham 3

 Singles competition

1. Mariana Rong (ASU) def. Isabell Fernandez (UAB) 6-1, 6-3

2. Paula Alvarez (UAB) def. Tamara Slijepcevic (ASU) 7-5, 6-7, 11-9

3. Rachell Daniell (UAB) def. Janie Nowland (ASU) 6-4, 3-6, 10-5

4. Biljana Miloshevska (ASU) def. Menanteau Moolman (UAB) 6-4, 6-3

5. Caroline Faught (UAB) def. Ioana Teu (ASU) 6-2, 6-3

6. Ceara Howey (ASU) def. Sarah Witkowski (UAB) 6-4, 6-0

 Doubles competition

1. Mariana Rong/Ioana Teu (ASU) def. Paula, Alvarez/Isabell Fernandez (UAB) 8-3

2. Rachell Daniell/Menanteau Moolman (UAB) def. Janie Nowland/Biljana Miloshevska (ASU) 8-5

3. Jess Heeps-Eriksen/Tamara Slijepcevic (ASU) def. Rachel Cohen/Caroline Faught (UAB) 8-4

Match Notes:

Arkansas State 7-2

Alabama-Birmingham 5-7