The Iowa State Tennis team nearly pulled off its first conference victory of the season, taking Missouri to the wire before falling 5-4 in Columbia on Monday, April 5.

According to Cyclone coach Michelle Conlon, “I think that they’re certainly a team that if we played them again, we could have a different outcome.”

ISU won two doubles and two singles matches. After Mizzou’s Biljan Pawlowa defeated Noortje Cornelissen 6-2, 6-3 in No.1 singles, Edna Vazquez took her Tiger opponent, Andrea Friedman, to the wire before falling 2-6, 7-6, 7-6.

The Cyclones and Tigers split the final No. 4 singles matches, alternating wins.

Andrean Simons picked up ISU’s first win of the match, defeating Jelena Kocergin 2-6, 6-3, 6-1 at No. 3 singles.

Caitlin Thompson further extended Missouri’s advantage to 3-1 by defeating Kendra Leese 6-0, 6-1.

But Mary Rumbaoa, after a disastrous start, rallied to win 0-6, 6-4, 6-4 over Joni Jordan in No. 5 singles.

Julie Thomas completed the singles portion of the match by defeating ISU’s Sharla Whitaker 6-2, 6-4.

Coach Conlon emphasized Rumbaoa’s strong play.

“Mary Rumbaoa continues to play great tennis,” Conlon said. “She’s really having an outstanding season.”

In doubles, ISU and Missouri alternated wins.

ISU stayed in contention to win the meet after Cornelissen and Westberg won their match 8-6 at No.1 singles.

But Missouri clinched the meet with its fifth win, as Kocegrin and Thomas beat Leese and Vazquez by an identical score of 8-6. ISU gained some consolation as Rumbaoa and Simons beat Friedman and Jordan 9-7.

On Tuesday, ISU was swept by inter-state rival and 38th-ranked Iowa in Iowa City, 9-0. ISU did not win a set in the match, as Iowa dominated from start to finish.

Shera Wiegler and Natalya Dawaf set the tone for the match by easily winning their matches at No.1 and No. 2 singles respectively. Wiegler defeated ISU’s Cornelissen 6-2, 6-2, and Dawaf beat Vazquez 6-2, 6-0.

The Hawkeyes swept the next two matches as well, and clinched the match when Megan Kearney defeated Mary Rumbaoa 6-4, 6-0 in No. 5 singles, to give Iowa an insurmountable 5-0 lead.

ISU kept the doubles close, as Cornelissen and Westberg fell 8-6 to Dawaf and Emily Bampton in No.1; Erica Johnson and Erin Wolverton defeated ISU’s Leese and Vazquez 8-4; and Kearney and Wiegler defeated Rumbaoa and Simons 8-1.