VALPARAISO, Ind. – The Drake University women's tennis season came to an end on Friday afternoon in the first round of the 2025 MVC Women's Tennis Championship. The Bulldogs, who entered the postseason at the league's No. 6 seed, battled rival Illinois State, but could not keep pace and dropped their finale, 4-2.
 
The Redbirds earned the first point of the match after a pair of doubles victories at Nos. 1 and 2. Lana Caculovic and Silvia Pomarolli combined to beat Drake's freshman battery of Jessica Popiol and Jana Ruzic to decide the doubles portion.
 
Pomarolli won her singles match over Elizabete Klavinska in straight sets at No. 2. Shiori Takeda and Jana Ruzic won their singles bouts in the third and fourth spots, respectively, but Illinois State eventually clinched their victory with two more doubles wins.
 
The Redbirds' advanced the three seed into the MVC semifinals where they will face regular season champion Murray State.
 
Drake ends its season, the first in the Calvin Song era, at 5-16 overall.
 
Singles Results vs. Illinois State
1. Lana Caculovic (ISU) def. Popiol, Jessica (DU) 6-4, 6-3
2. Silvia Pomarolli (ISU) def. Klavinska, Elizabete (DU) 6-2, 6-2
3. Takeda, Shiori (DU) def. Emma Lindh (ISU) 6-4, 6-1
4. Ruzic, Jana (DU) def. Nuria Sanz (ISU) 6-2, 6-0
5. Nicole Iosio (ISU) def. Caldicott, Tess (DU) 7-5, 6-2
6. Sophie Marie Lowe (ISU) vs. Lee, Nicole (DU) 6-3, 1-3, unfinished
 
Doubles Results vs. Illinois State
1. Lana Caculovic/Silvia Pomarolli (ISU) def. Popiol, Jessica/Ruzic, Jana (DU) 6-4
2. Emma Lindh/Elena Jankulovska (ISU) def. Klavinska, Elizabete/Takeda, Shiori (DU) 6-4
3. Nicole Iosio/Zoe Limparis (ISU) vs. Lee, Nicole/Caldicott, Tess (DU) 6-5, unfinished