SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The Drake University women's tennis team edged Bradley, 4-3, Friday afternoon in the quarterfinals of the 2021 Missouri Valley Conference Championship at the Cooper Tennis Complex. Drake advances to face top seeded Illinois State Saturday morning at 10 a.m.
 
Bradley (10-6) jumped out to an early 1-0 lead by winning the doubles point. However, Drake (9-8) quickly took the lead behind consecutive singles wins, first by Maria Tatarnikova in the No. 4 match by a score of 6-1, 6-1 and then Ines Stephani at No. 5 by a score of 2-6, 6-1, 6-4.
 
The Braves evened the match with Bozana Lojpur's win 6-2, 6-4 victory over Daria Walczak in the No. 2 match and then led again as Nikki Perlwitz defeated Kelsey Neville, 6-1, 3-6, 6-1 at No. 6.
 
But Bulldogs' No. 1 Liza Petushkova squared the match again with a 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 win over Sandra Maletin and then Darinka Stepan gave Drake its first MVC Championship win since 2016 as she rallied to beat Natalia Barbery 2-6, 6-1, 6-4.
 
During the regular season, the Redbirds defeated the Bulldogs, 5-2, on April 11 in Normal, Ill.

Drake 4, Bradley 3
Singles competition
1. Liza Petushkova (DU) def. Maletin, Sandra (BRAD) 6-2, 5-7, 6-2
2. Lojpur, Bozana (BRAD) def. Daria Walczak (DU) 6-2, 6-4
3. Ines Stephani (DU) def. Sanchez Bronzetti, V (BRAD) 6-3, 6-2
4. Maria Tatarnikova (DU) def. Bezmenova, Maria (BRAD) 6-1, 6-1
5. Darinka Stepan (DU) def. Barbery, Natalia (BRAD) 2-6, 6-1, 6-4
6. Perlwitz, Nikki (BRAD) def. Kelsey Neville (DU) 6-1, 3-6, 6-1
 
Doubles competition
1. Maletin, Sandra/Sanchez Bronzetti, V (BRAD) def. Liza Petushkova/Maria Tatarnikova (DU) 6-4
2. Kelsey Neville/Daria Walczak (DU) def. Marjanovic, Nina/Bezmenova, Maria (BRAD) 6-2
3. Perlwitz, Nikki/Lojpur, Bozana (BRAD) def. Darinka Stepan/Ines Stephani (DU) 6-1
 
Match Notes:
Drake 9-8
Bradley 10-6
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (4,3,2,6,1,5)