BOCA RATON, Fla. (2/22/13) – The Arkansas State women's tennis team lost a 5-2 decision to Florida Atlantic Friday.  The loss drops the Red Wolves to 2-2 overall and 0-2 against teams from the Sun Belt Conference on the season.

A-State won the doubles point over the Owls as ASU swept all three matches.  ASU's No. 1 pair of Janie Nowland/Ioana Teu won easily over Claire-Mitchell Andrews/Taylor Briggs by a score of 8-1.  The next two matches were much closer, but both of ASU's pairs came out with wins.  Tamara Slijepcevic/Biljana Miloshevska won 9-7 over FAU's pair of Marlene Ryan/Stephanie Cardullo and Jess Heeps-Eriksen/Sofia Krsmanovic defeated FAU's duo of Catalina Ene/Natasha Phillips by a count of 9-7.

The Red Wolves didn't fare as well in the singles competition.  Miloshevska was the lone ASU victor as she won her match in straight sets 7-6, 6-4 over Natalia Tomaszewicz.  Slijepcevic saw her match winning streak stop at 12 as she fell to Ryan of FAU in straight sets 6-3, 6-1.  Nowland was defeated in her match 6-3, 6-2 against Ene and Teu lost her match to Natasha Basma 3-6, 6-4, 7-6.  Freshman Chiara Stefanov lost her match against Briggs of FAU in straight sets 6-1, 6-1, while Heeps-Eriksen lost her match to Cardullo by a score of 6-1, 2-6, 6-3.

“We played good doubles, but didn't carry that desire over to singles,” ASU tennis coach Marina Engelbrecht said.  “You have to have a good attitude if you want to win close matches.  Biljana played a great match though.”

The Red Wolves will take on conference foe Florida International in their next match at noon on Sunday.

Singles Competition

1. Marlene Ryan (FAU) def. Tamara Slijepcevic (ASU) 6-3, 6-1

2. Catalina Ene (FAU) def. Janie Nowland (ASU) 6-3, 6-2

3. Natasha Basma (FAU) def. Ioana Teu (ASU) 3-6, 6-4, 7-6

4. Biljana Miloshevska (ASU) def. Natalia Tomaszewicz (FAU) 7-6, 6-4

5. Taylor Briggs (FAU) def. Chiara Stefanov (ASU) 6-1, 6-1

6. Stephanie Cardullo (FAU) def. Jess Heeps-Eriksen 6-1, 2-6, 6-3

Doubles Competition

1. Janie Nowland/Ioana Teu (ASU) def. Claire-Mitchell Andrews/Taylor Briggs (FAU) 8-1

2. Tamara Slijepcevic/Biljana Miloshevska (ASU) def. Marlene Ryan/Stephanie Cardullo (FAU) 9-7