2021 OVC Champions

2022 SOUTHEAST MISSOURI TENNIS GUIDE 2021 OVC CHAMPIONS

Southeast Missouri women’s tennis secured its first-ever Ohio Valley Conference Championship with a program-best perfect 7-0 mark in league play. SEMO concluded the 2021 season with an overall record of 15-5.

As the top-seed at the 2021 OVC Championship Tournament, the Redhawks finished as the tournament runners-up, dropping a tight 4-3 match to #2 Austin Peay in the finals. SEMO advanced to the Championship Finals with a 4-1 win over #4 Jacksonville State in the semifinals.

The Redhawks made their 13th OVC Tournament appearance and second-straight appearance under the helm of head coach Mary Beth Gunn. Gunn has led SEMO to three tournament appearances in her six seasons.

The Redhawks 15 wins in 2021 is their highest win total in 28 years as the 1993 SEMO team finished the season with a mark of 17-6 (6-1 OVC).

SEMO swept the 2021 OVC women’s tennis awards as Romana Tarajova and Daniela Hlacikova combined to earn Player of the Year and Co-Freshman of the Year, respectively. Head Coach Mary Beth Gunn was awarded 2021 OVC Women’s Coach of the Year.

Romana Tarajova and Daniela Hlacikova both were tabbed to the 2021 All-OVC First Team while Ksenia Shikanova was selected to the 2021 All-OVC Second Team. The three All-OVC selections are a program-best for SEMO.

Romana Tarajova is the firstever OVC Player of the Year in SEMO program history while Daniela Hlacikova is the fourth OVC Freshman of the Year at SEMO.

Mary Beth Gunn is the firstever OVC Coach of the Year at SEMO. She has coached three OVC Freshmen of the Year in her six seasons (52-59 overall record, 19-24 OVC) with the Redhawks. SEMO won the doubles point in every conference dual this season and jumped out to a 1-0 start in 15 of its 20 matches in 2021. The Redhawks went 14-3 in doubles matches against OVC opponents this season.

Claire Morrill was clocked at 2:14.17 for sixth as three Redhawks scored in the 800 meters.

The Redhawks went on a 11-match win streak from March 8 to April 24 to conclude their non-conference slate and capture the 2021 OVC Championship with seven-straight wins during league competition. SEMO notched a 7-4 non-conference record with wins over Arkansas State, Missouri State (twice), Bradley, William Woods (twice) and Illinois State.

Romana Tarajova and Kseniya Zonova fashioned a 6-0 OVC record at the top doubles position. Daniela Hlacikova and Teona Velkoska teamed up for a 4-2 record at the final position during league play while Lera Valeeva and Ksenia Shikanova went 4-1 at no. 2.

In singles, the Redhawks posted a 32-10 mark against conference foes in 2021. Vivian Lai was perfect at the fifth slot, going 7-0. Daniela Hlacikova and Ksenia Shikanova notched 6-1 marks at the second and fourth slots, respectively. At no. 1 singles, Romana Tarajova compiled a 5-2 record and Kseniya Zonova chipped in a 4-3 mark at the second position. Four Redhawks registered double-digit singles wins in 2021. Vivian Lai paced SEMO with a 16-3 singles mark including a 13-2 record and a perfect 7-0 mark in OVC play at no. 5 singles.