BOLIVAR, Mo. - McKendree University women's tennis competed in the Southwest Baptist University Invitational this past weekend. Seven Bearcats represented McKendree in the tournament.  

Senior Maria Vitoria Salomao advanced to the semifinals round of the 'B' singles draw after a bye in the first round of play and a win in round two against Rockhurst's Andrea Dabbah 4-0, 0-4, and 10-6. Salomoa fell in the semifinals to Rockhurst's Daniela Lentisco 5-3 and 4-0. 

Also in the 'B' singles draw was junior Pien Ruempol who won in the first round over Southwest Baptist's Ally Bowser 4-0, 4-0, before falling in the second round 4-2, 4-1 to Rockhurst's Maria Baez Chacon. Rounding out the 'B' singles was sophomore Iva Poleksic who fell in the second round to Lentisco 4-1, 5-4 after a bye in round one and grabbed a consolation bracket win 6-0 over Bowser.  

In the 'A' draw singles, senior Rhyan Cook matched up with Rockhurst's Marina Magai who took the win over Cook 5-3, 4-1. In the consolation bracket, Cook defeated Rockhurst's Cecilia Ulrich 8-6.  

Three more Bearcats competed in the 'A' draw singles including fifth-year senior Viola Cipriani, senior Camilla Fonseca, and junior Sofija Djuniskijevic. Fonseca earned a bye in the first round before taking on Rockhurst's Zuzanna Szmyd who prevailed over Fonseca 4-2, 4-5, and 10-5. In the consolation bracket, Fonseca defeated Dabbah 8-3. Cipriani fell in the first round 4-2, 4-5, 10-7 to Southwest Baptist's Polina Paunova while Djuniskijevic was defeated by Southwest Baptist's Ghada Dirninger 4-2, 4-1.  

In doubles play, Poleksic and Djuniskijevic dominated round one against Dabbah and Ulrich 6-1. In round two, the Bearcat pair would be topped by Dirninger and Elsa Pascual 6-2. Salomao and Cook earned a bye in the first round and faced Magai and Eleanor Coleman, falling 6-3. Fonseca and Cipriani teamed up for a bye in round one, then matched up against Lentisco and Baez Chacon, falling 6-4.  

Head coach Rene Vidal said of the tournament, "We are pleased but not satisfied with our men's and women's results. Against top competition, we need to make a few mental and tactical adjustments if we want to achieve big things this year."  

The Bearcats end their fall season with the Southwest Baptist tournament. Spring play for McKendree will begin in February.