Emporia State lost a pair of duals against Nebraska-Kearney April 4 in an away match at the Grundy Tennis Center. The No. 15 Lopers won 5-2 against the Hornet women and 4-3 against the Hornet men.

UNK took a 1-0 lead heading into women’s singles play after winning all three doubles matches. At No. 4 doubles the Lopers assumed a 2-0 win until senior Paige Stranghoner earned a 6-0, 7-5 win at No. 6 singles. 

Sophomore Giovanna Ferreira drew attention when she evened the dual for ESU with a 7-5, 6-4 win at No. 1 over UNK’s ninth-ranked player for No. 1 singles. Freshman Yuliya Klimova lost No. 2 singles playing into three sets and the Lopers followed up with another win at No. 3 singles over sophomore Perla Conde.  

Mirroring the women’s match, the Lopers swept men’s doubles giving them a 1-0 lead. Starting off singles, the Lopers attempted to change their line up, but failed to have an additional player on the score sheet which earned the Hornets a win by forfeit. Nebraska-Kearney increased their score 2-1 with a win at No. 3 singles and remained ahead 3-1 after a No. 2 win against sophomore Mostafa Elbasnaly. No. 16-ranked senior Anton Sarunic took a win at No.1 6-3, 7-5 after earning a point off of his opponent’s code violation penalty. 

No. 4 and No. 5 singles saw a third set. Freshman Roko Kacer won 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 6-2 at No. 5 but sophomore Diego Calvo suffered a loss at No. 4 which allowed the Lopers the 4-3 victory. 

The Hornet women brought home a 6-1 MIAA win against Fort Hays on Monday following their loss against UNK. In a matchup against Washburn, The Hornet men fell to the Ichabods 3-4 in Topeka on Wednesday. The Hornet women are set to face off against the Ichabods today at 2 p.m.