LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (1/24/13) – The Arkansas State women's tennis team recorded a 6-1 victory over Central Arkansas in its 2013 season opener at Little Rock on Thursday.

Sophomore Tamara Slijepcevic ran her current match winning streak to 10 with a win in straight sets 6-2, 6-2 over Simona Horsikyan in the No. 1 singles match.  Junior Janie Nowland recorded a victory in the No. 2 singles match over Allison Murphy in straight sets 6-2, 6-2.  Junior Biljana Miloshevska also recorded a straight set victory with a 7-6, 6-0 decision over Kristina Horsikyan.

Freshman Chiara Stefanov and sophomore Jess Heeps-Eriksen both fought back from behind to win their matches.  Stefanov was able to earn a 1-6, 7-6, 10-7 win over Sasha Ruocco while Heeps-Eriksen recorded a 2-6, 6-2, 11-9 victory over Anna Buyukyan.  Senior Ioana Teu dropped her match to Krizia Buck 6-2, 6-3 for UCA's only point of the match.

“I loved the fighting spirit Jess and Chiara showed to come back and win their singles matches,” ASU tennis coach Marina Engelbrecht said.

In doubles action, the A-State No. 1 pair of Teu and Nowland took down UCA's pair of Murphy and Buck 8-6.  The Red Wolves were able to secure the point of the doubles portion when Slijepcevic and Miloshevska were victorious over S. Horsikyan and Ruocco 8-2.  UCA did record one victory in the doubles competition as Heeps-Eriksen and freshman Sofia Krsmanovic fell to UCA's duo of Buyukyan and K. Horsikyan 8-6.

“This was a good first win of the season for us,” Engelbrecht added. “Everyone competed at a high level.”

Arkansas State has now won four straight season openers and has a three-match winning streak over the Sugar Bears of UCA.   A-State will be back in action at Ridgepoint Country Club in Jonesboro for its Sun Belt Conference and home opener against Troy.  The match is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. on Feb. 3.

Singles Competition

1. Tamara Slijepcevic (ASU) def. Simona Horsikyan (UCA) 6-2, 6-2

2. Janie Nowland (ASU) def. Allison Murphy (UCA) 6-2, 6-2

3. Biljana Miloshevska (ASU) def. Kristina Horsikyan (UCA) 7-6, 6-0

4. Krizia Buck (UCA) def. Ioana Teu (ASU) 6-2, 6-3

5. Chiara Stefanov (ASU) def. Sasha Ruocco (UCA) 1-6, 7-6, 10-7

6. Jess Heeps-Eriksen (ASU) def. Anna Buyukyan (UCA) 1-6, 6-2, 11-9

Doubles Competition

1. Ioana Teu/Janie Nowland (ASU) def. Allison Murphy/Krizia Buck (UCA) 8-6

2. Tamara Slijepcevic/Biljana Miloshevska (ASU) def. Simona Horsikyan/Sasha Ruocco (UCA) 8-2