Netters up conference mark to 2-1

The Southeast Missouri State women's tennis team opened its home schedule Sunday with a 6-1 Ohio Valley Conference victory over Morehead State.

Southeast improved to 4-5 overall and 2-1 in OVC play. MSU fell to 1-6 and 0-2.

"It was a good win for us," first-year Southeast coach Mark Elliott said. "These are the kind of conference wins we need."

The Redhawks started off strong by winning the doubles point as they captured two of the three doubles matches.

Southeast then won five of the six singles matches.

Winning in singles for the Redhawks were No. 1 Bryce Kristal, No. 2 Drew Kristal, No. 4 Julia Masotti, No. 5 Elise Nattier and No. 6 Kimmy Anderson from Jackson High School.

Anderson prevailed 6-0 in the third set, while the others won in straight sets. Bryce Kristal and Nattier, a freshman, are both 3-0 in OVC singles play.

Doubles winners for Southeast were the Kristal twins at No. 1 and the team of Masotti-Nattier at No. 2.

The Redhawks have another OVC home match Friday when Tennessee State visits the Southeast Tennis Complex for a 2 p.m. start.

Southeast will then host a pair of non-conference opponents Saturday, Creighton at 9 a.m. and Missouri-Kansas City at 1 p.m.

Southeast 6, Morehead State 1

Singles

No. 1: Bryce Kristal (SE) def. Heather Butt 6-4, 6-3; No. 2: Drew Kristal (SE) def. Alix Lakow 6-1, 6-1; No. 3: Megan Sammons (MS) def. Luz Garcia 6-3, 6-4; No. 4: Julia Masotti (SE) def. Adriana Espinosa 6-3, 6-2; No. 5: Elise Nattier (SE) def. Alli Nickell 6-4, 6-1; No. 6: Kimmy Anderson (SE) def. Meredith Lortie 6-0, 2-6, 6-0.

Doubles

No. 1: Kristal-Kristal (SE) def. Butt-Espinosa 8-4; No. 2: Masotti-Nattier (SE) def. Nickell-Stefanie Craun 8-2; No 3: Sammons-Lakow (MS) def. Garcia-Anderson 8-1.

Softball salvages win

The Southeast softball squad, after losing its first three games in its own tournament, ended the five-team event Sunday on a positive note.

Southeast, after being blanked by Illinois State -- ranked 18th nationally -- 7-0, came back to beat IUPUI 9-0.

The Redhawks, who Saturday lost to Belmont 4-0 and Bradley 3-2, improved to 4-7.

Southeast had only three hits against Illinois State, two by Michelle Summers. Elaine Fisher allowed six hits and six runs in 4 innings for the loss.

Against IUPUI, the Redhawks ended the game in the bottom of the sixth inning by way of the eight-run rule.

Freshman Stacia Dopudja homered, doubled twice and drove in five runs.

Megan McDonald had two doubles among her three hits, while Summers and Alex Ramirez both added two of Southeast's 13 hits.

Fisher (2-6) pitched a two-hit shutout, striking out five and walking none.

Illinois State (19-5) concluded a dominant run to the tournament championship by also beating Belmont 11-0 Sunday.

Saturday, the Redbirds routed Bradley 8-0 and IUPUI 11-0. They outscored their four opponents by a combined 37-0.

Southeast concludes its eight-game homestand this weekend by opening OVC play with a series against Samford. There will be a doubleheader Saturday at 1 p.m. and a single game Sunday.

-- From staff reports