ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Facing off against its first Division II competition of the spring, the Newman women's tennis team fell in a pair of close matches over the weekend at the Missouri Western Winter Invitational.

Getting a late start Saturday evening, the Jets (2-2) played into the early morning, dropping a tight 5-4 decision against Arkansas Tech (5-0). Newman picked up two big wins in doubles, as both Kateryna Stoianova and Niamh Packer at No. 2 and Emily Wise and Mariana Guvaria at No. 3 both won in tiebreakers to grab crucial points.

Stoianova and Packer each won in straight sets in singles to finish the first eight points with the score tied 4-4. No. 6 singles was the decider, and Guvaria battled back to win the second set, but fell in a thrilling 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 match.

Sunday saw another tight match, as Maryville (5-2) ended up with a 5-3 win. Tamar Tskhakaia and Janneke de Rijk ended up with a decisive win over a regionally ranked doubles team at No. 1, while Stoianova and Packer finished off undefeated weekends in singles play by winning 6-0, 6-1 and 6-2, 6-2, respectively, at No. 3 and No. 4 singles.

Due to time constraints, Newman's scheduled third match, against host Missouri Western, was canceled. The Jets are back on the road this weekend, heading to Springfield, Missouri to face both Drury and Lewis.