HAYS, Kan. – Missouri Western (11-11, 2-6 MIAA) has officially punched its ticket to the MIAA tennis championships in Oklahoma City. The Griffons clinched their spot by defeating Fort Hays State (3-10, 0-8 MIAA) 5-2 on the road on Saturday.

The Griffons took the doubles points with wins on the number one and three courts. Joanna Abreu Roman and Karolina Ström started things off for Missouri Western with a 6-1 victory to open up the match. The Tigers would win the second doubles match before Federica Salmaso and Bojana Vuksan put the Griffons on the scoreboard with a 6-3 win to finish the doubles. Saturday’s doubles win is the seventh of the season for Salmaso and Vuksan, which is second on the team behind the duo of Abreu Roman and Ström.

Vuksan continued momentum for the Griffons with a 6-0, 6-0 shutout win. Ström and Salmaso also both won their singles matches, giving Missouri Western four points to clinch the match.

Abreu Roman battled her way to a victory in what turned out to be the day’s most competitive match. After losing the first set, the senior stormed back to win the final two sets by scores of 6-1 and 10-5. Abreu Roman is now second on the team with 12 wins in duals this season.

Missouri Western will wrap up the regular season at Nebraska Kearney (13-12, 2-6 MIAA) on Monday. It will be the team’s final competition before the MIAA Championships in Oklahoma City on April 26.

MWSU VS. FHSU
SINGLES
Karolina Ström (MWSU) def. Laura Jimenez-Lendinez (FHSU) 6-1, 6-3
Natalie Lubbers (FHSU) def. Birosta,Mireia (MWSU) 6-1, 6-0
Joanna Abreu Roman (MWSU) def. Lauren Lindell (FHSU) 3-6, 6-1, 10-5
Federica Salmaso (MWSU) def. Ellea Ediger (FHSU) 6-1, 6-3
Macy Moyers,(FHSU) def. Erica Dunn (MWSU) 2-6, 6-1, 10-8
Bojana Vuksan (MWSU) def. Haley Weidemann (FHSU) 6-0, 6-0

DOUBLES
Abreu Roman/Ström (MWSU) def. Lindell/Lubbers (FHSU) 6-1
Ediger/Moyers (FHSU) def. Birosta/Dunn (MWSU) 6-2
Salmaso/Vuksan (MWSU) def. Jimenez-Lendinez/Lubbers (FHSU) 6-3

— MWSU Athletics —