JONESBORO, Ark. (11/02/12) – The Arkansas State tennis team completed the first day of competition at their host tournament, the Red Wolf Invitational, at Allen Park.  The Red Wolves had a very strong showing by placing six of their team members in the semifinals of their respective draw while also going 5-2 in doubles play.

The morning started off with doubles play.  Janie Nowland and Ioana Teu teamed up to go 2-0 on the day with an 8-0 victory over Ashley Canty/Megan Blue (Murray State) and an 8-6 win over Anna Marie Herbold/Ivon Simic (Tennessee-Martin).

In flight two, the ASU pair Biljana Miloshevska/Tamara Slijepsevic beat Anna Winkelmann/Alice Laing (Tennessee-Martin) 8-6.  In their second match of the day Miloshevska/Slijepcevic were victorious over Nikole Novikova/Elizabeth Nyenwe (Southeast Missouri) 8-5.

A-State’s Sofia Krsmanovic/Jess Heeps-Eriksen were able to earn a win in their only match of the day as they defeated Kristina Horsikyan/Anna Buyukyan (Central Arkansas) 8-5.

Flight five action wasn’t as kind to the Red Wolves as the pair of Janelle Fung/Chiara Stefanov dropped two matches on the day.  The pair fell to Florence Nicole/Jessica Silva (Tennessee-Martin) 8-4 then lost to Abigail Plecki (Southern Illinois-Carbondale)/Yana Kakovkina (Arkansas-Little Rock) 8-3.

Singles play started soon after and A-State put together a solid performance.  Slijepcevic was able to take down Simona Horsikyan (Central Arkansas) in straight sets 7-5, 6-4.

Nowland got a bye to the semifinals of flight two.  Flight three featured a very hard fought match between Miloshevska and Megan Blue (Murray State).  Miloshevska was able to earn the tough win over Blue 6-4, 7-6.

Teu was victorious in her flight four match as she was able to defeat Sasha Rucco (Central Arkansas) in straight sets 6-4, 6-2.  Heeps-Eriksen took on Alice Laing (Tennessee-Martin) in flight five and came away with a 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 win.

Flight six featured two Red Wolves in action.  Krsmanovic fell to Gisela Cairo Baza (Southern Illinois-Carbondale) in straight sets 6-1, 7-5.  Stefanov was able to defeat Suzaan Stoltz (Murray State) 6-1, 6-3 to advance to the semifinals of flight 6.

In the last flight of the day, Fung faced off against Katie McCall (Tennessee-Martin).  Fung put up a great fight, but fell short 1-6, 6-2, 6-0.

"We had a great first day," ASU coach Marina Engelbrecht said.  "We played great doubles today.  It is great to have six girls in the semifinal of their draw.  I am proud of how our team performed today."

The tournament continues Saturday at Allen Park in Jonesboro.  Action is scheduled to start at 10 a.m.