Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Middle Tennessee
Belmont/Lipscomb Hidden Duals
Women's Tennis to commence Belmont/Lipscomb hidden duals
9/25/2026 2:40:00 PM | Women's Tennis
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – The Middle Tennessee women's tennis team will begin the first of three days of hidden duals, contested at both Belmont's Beaman Family Tennis Complex and Lipscomb's Huston-Marsh-Griffith Tennis Center between Sept. 25 and 27.
MTSU will face off against North Alabama and Vanderbilt, alongside hosts Lipscomb and Belmont for the three-day event.
The Blue and White most recently competed in the Memphis Invitational, facing off against players from host Memphis, Murray State, and Arkansas State.
Middle Tennessee recorded a 12-8 record in singles play, as well as three doubles victories during the three-day event.
Day two of the invitational was the strongest, with MTSU winning two of its three doubles contests and six of its seven singles bouts.
Victoria Matasova, Sadbaroy Kholdarova, Sthefany Lima and Zhanel Rustemova stood out with two singles victories each on the weekend, with Matasova defeating her opponents, 7-5, 2-6, 10-5, and 6-7 (5), 1-0 (ret.). Kholdarova took both of her singles matches in straight-set fashion, winning 6-1, 6-0 and 6-1, 6-4. On days one and two of the invitational, Lima won in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3 and 6-2, 6-1. Kansas State transfer Rustemova earned victories on both the first and last day of the tournament, 7-6 (4), 7-5 and 6-3, 7-6 (4).
On a busy day two for the Blue Raiders, Maria Palacios logged her first collegiate singles triumph, 6-3, 6-3, while Sara Conde (7-6, 6-1) and Lena Peyer (6-4, 3-6, 10-8) opened their 2026 singles accounts.
Conde excelled in doubles play, picking up two victories out of three, once with Matasova as a partner, 7-6 (2), and once with Rustemova, 7-5.
Finally, Palacios achieved her first collegiate doubles victory alongside Kholdarova, defeating their opponents, 6-1.
Scouting the Opponents
MTSU holds a 4-0 series lead against North Alabama, most recently defeating the Lions on March 2, 2019 in a dominating 7-0 fashion. This weekend's hidden duals represent UNA's 2026 season opener.
Local rival Vanderbilt has met the Blue Raiders for six consecutive years, most recently during a 7-0 sweep for the Commodores in Nashville. Vanderbilt is competing this weekend both in Nashville and in Cary, N.C. for the ITA All-American Championships.
The first of two hosts, the Lipscomb Bisons, enter the invitational after competing in the Milwaukee Tennis Classic two weeks ago. They met MTSU on the court last year, with the Nashville outfit edging out Middle Tennessee, 4-3. The Blue and White still hold a commanding 15-3 lead in the tie, however.
Belmont represents the other host of the hidden duals in what is its season opener, with MTSU holding a 13-1 series record against the Bruins.
Results from the invite will be published daily on Middle Tennessee's social media channels.
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Players Mentioned
