ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Florida – The Northwest Missouri State University women’s tennis team used strong singles play to advance to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament with a 4-2 victory over No. 7-seeded Midwestern State.

The Bearcats (20-6 overall) moved into the national quarterfinals for the third time in program history. Northwest also reached the national quarterfinals in 1997 and 2003.

Northwest had to dig out of a hole by losing the doubles point to Midwestern State (21-7 overall). The Mustangs scored a 6-1 win at No. 1 doubles when Bianca Duff and Ashley Ramirez defeated Northwest’s Tania Teruel and Marta Ferrando. The Mustangs clinched the point with a 6-2 win at No. 2 doubles as Greta Lazzarotta and Casie Curry knocked off Northwest’s Irene Recuenco and Julia Aliseda.

The Bearcats turned the tide in singles play. Freshman Julia Aliseda moved her win streak to seven in a row and posted her 25th win this season with a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Juliette Mary at No. 4 singles.

Senior Julie Rinderknech notched her 25th singles win as she recorded a 6-3, 6-1 triumph over MSU’s Ashley Ramirez. Rinderknech has won nine of her last 10 singles matches.

Sophomore Irene Recuenco came from a set down and rallied for a 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 win at No. 1 singles. Recuenco, who is ranked No. 17 by the ITA, improved to 22-9 on the year.

Junior Marta Ferrando clinched the dual victory with a 7-6 (7-2), 6-4 win over MSU’s Lea Cizeron at No. 3 singles. Ferrando has won eight consecutive singles matches and is 23-8 on the season.

Northwest will take on the University of Indianapolis in the national quarterfinals on Thursday. The match will begin at 8 a.m. (CT). UIndy is the No. 2 seed and has an unblemished record of 23-0 this season.

NOTES: Northwest is 3-5 all-time in the NCAA Tournament round of 16 matches … Northwest head coach Mark Rosewell moved his win total at Northwest to 1,096 with the triumph … it is the eighth 20-win season in program history and the first since 2008.

— Northwest Athletics —