Ball State University
Youngstown State University
Brown Wins Twice in Women’s Tennis' Tight Loss to Youngstown State
February 22, 2025 | Women's Tennis
EAST LANSING, Mich. — In Ball State's first match of a two-contest weekend series at Michigan State's MSU Indoor Tennis Center, the Cardinals fell to Youngstown State by a slim 4-3 margin. The loss puts an end to the red and white's three-match winning streak and brings the squad's season record to 3-2, while the Penguins' victorious effort elevates their 2025 mark to 7-4.
Chloe Brown shined for the Cardinals in the heartbreaking loss, winning her matches in doubles and singles. To open the afternoon, she paired up with Alana Bristow at the No. 1 doubles position for the second time this season, and they emerged with a 6-4 win against Julia Marko and Ghada Dirninge, a duo who earned the most recent iteration of Horizon League Doubles Players of the Week honors. Brown later capped off her outing with a decisive 6-3, 6-1, victory at No. 3 singles—her fourth-straight win in the singles lineup.
Brown and Bristow at the top spot were the lone Ball State pairing to win its doubles match, as Youngstown State took the second and third courts by 7-5 and 6-4 scores, respectively. The Penguins secured the doubles point with their two victories and carried a 1-0 lead into singles play.
The Cardinals crafted a valiant comeback effort in singles action, as they collected wins at No. 1, 3 and 6 singles. Ball State's three singles victories produced a pair of notable individual accomplishments. Elena Malykh's three-set triumph, which saw her rally after dropping the second set 6-0, marked her first win at No. 1 singles this campaign. For Ella Hazelbaker, her spirited three-set win at the No. 6 position landed her first tally in the singles victory column this season.
Despite Ball State's strong showing on the singles courts, Youngstown State produced three wins of its own, giving it the 4-3 edge. The No. 4 singles match between Isabel Tanjuatco and Yeseniia Ovcharova proved to be the decisive three-set battle, as Ovcharova prevailed with a 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 victory.
Ball State will close out its weekend of action with its second matchup with a major-conference foe this spring. The Cardinals and Michigan State will compete on the Spartans' home courts Sunday, Feb. 23, at 2 p.m.
Doubles
No. 1: Chloe Brown/Alana Bristow (Ball State) def. Julia Marko/Ghada Dirninger (Youngstown State), 6-4
No. 2: Lili Minich/Line Greyling (Youngstown State) def. Elena Malykh/Isabel Tanjuatco (Ball State), 7-5
No. 3: Lorena Cedeno/Yeseniia Ovcharova (Youngstown State) def. Ella Hazelbaker/Jemima Williams-Phillips (Ball State), 6-4
Singles
No. 1: Elena Malykh (Ball State) def. Julia Marko (Youngstown State), 6-4, 0-6, 6-4
No. 2: Lili Minich (Youngstown State) def. Jemima Williams-Phillips (Ball State), 6-1, 6-3
No. 3: Chloe Brown (Ball State) def. Lorena Cedeno (Youngstown State), 6-1, 6-3
No. 4: Yeseniia Ovcharova (Youngstown State) def. Isabel Tanjuatco (Ball State), 5-7, 6-2, 6-2
No. 5: Ghada Dirninger (Youngstown State) def. Alana Bristow (Ball State), 7-6(5), 7-5
No. 6: Ella Hazelbaker (Ball State) def. Line Greyling (Youngstown State), 3-6, 6-4, 6-1
Players Mentioned
