TOLEDO, Ohio – The Toledo women's tennis team suffered a 5-2 setback to Michigan State at Twos Tennis Club on Sunday, leaving the Rockets with a split in their 2023 season opening weekend. The Rockets picked up their first victory of the season against Army, 7-0, on Saturday.

"We competed really well at spots today but came up short," head coach Tracy Mauntler said after the match. "I think playing against this caliber of team early on will really help us in the long run. I'm disappointed with the result but always proud of the way this team represents Toledo."

The visiting Spartans secured the doubles teams point with victories on the No. 2 and No. 3 courts. Toledo's No. 1 doubles team of Cassie Alcala and Sloane Teske played out the rest of their closely fought match vs. Ayshe Can and Liisa Vehvilaune and were defeated 7-5.

MSU extended its match lead to 3-0 with two-set wins from the No. 5 and No. 6 courts, and followed with another two-set decision from the No. 3 court to secure the match. Alcala got the Rockets on the board following an intense 6-4, 7-5 decision over Ayshe Can at the No. 1 court. Teske followed with Toledo's second singles victory, finishing 6-4, 7-6(2) from the No. 2 court over Juliette Nask. Mariona Perez, at the No. 4 court, fought to force a tiebreaker after dropping her first set, but was defeated by a 10-5 final score.

"Cassie and Sloane have come so far in the past three years, and they have really matured as competitors," Mauntler added. "They truly believe they are better than everyone they play and this is something special. We are lucky to have those two as examples on the top-two courts."

Toledo will be back on the court to take on Cleveland State on Sunday, Jan. 22 at 1:00 p.m.

Michigan State 5, Toledo 2

Doubles
Ayshe Can/ Liisa Vehvilaune (MSU) def. Cassie Alcala/ Sloane Teske (TOL) 7-5
Nicole Conrad/ Marley Lambert (MSU) def. Sanjana Tallamraju/ Mriona Perez (TOL) 6-3
Issey Purser/ Dagmar Zdrubecka (MSU) def. Laura Morera/ Juli Kuszynski (TOL) 6-2
Doubles Finish – 3,2,1

Singles
Cassie Alcala (TOL) def. Ayshe Can (MSU) 6-4, 7-5
Sloane Teske (TOL) def.  Juliette Nask (MSU) 6-4, 7-6(2)
Liisa Vehvilaune (MSU) def. Shalini Tallamraju (TOL) 6-1, 6-4
Issey Lambert (MSU) def. Mariona Perez (TOL) 7-5, 5-7, 10-5
Marley Lambert (MSU) def. Sanjana Tallamraju (TOL) 6-1, 6-1
Nicole Conrad (MSU) def. Laura Morera (TOL) 6-3, 6-3
Singles finish – 5,6,3,2,1,4