Kearney, Neb. – Both of Nebraska-Kearney tennis teams beat region foe Southeastern Oklahoma State Saturday in Liberty, Mo.
 
The Lopers were swept by NW Missouri State on Friday (8-1 men & 5-4 women) and by Drury, Mo. (9-0 men & 7-2 women) on Sunday. Those duals were held in Red Oak, Ia., and North Kansas City, Mo.  
 
The UNK men (7-2, 0-1), ranked 51st in the latest ITA national rankings, managed to upset the 40th-ranked Savage Storm, 5-4, by winning two doubles and three singles matches.
 
Senior Yeswanth Nadella (India) and freshman Neto Cacace (Brazil), ranked eighth in the Central, won 8-3 in the top doubles position. Newcomers Mohab El Zanaty (Egypt) and Lucas Garces (Spain) then won 8-6 at No. 3 doubles.
 
Nadella, ranked 17th in the Central, took down 20th-ranked Alberto Blesa (7-6, 7-5) at No. 1 singles with El Zanaty (No. 3) and English junior Jack Nicholson (No. 6) taking their matches in straight sets.
 
Garces and El Zanaty scored UNK's lone point against Northwest, who is ranked 20th nationally and No. 1 in the Central. The Lopers did injury default at No. 1 and 3 singles.

Finally, the Drury Panthers, ranked 27th nationally, managed an 8-6 win at No. 1 doubles and took each singles match in straight sets.
 
The Loper women (7-3, 0-1), ranked seventh in the Central Region, fell to the sixth-ranked Northwest by a single point on Friday evening. The Bearcats managed to hold off UNK by winning at No. 3 doubles, 9-8 (4), and by taking No. 1 and No. 4 singles in three sets.
 
On Sunday, the Lopers fell to 25th-ranked Drury but got straight set wins from Spanish sophomore Paula Jimenez (No. 3) and Arizona junior Kari Emery (No. 6). UNK also lost by just an 8-6 count at No. 3 doubles.
 
Against SEOSU, the Lopers won all three doubles matches, including a 9-7 barn burner by Jimenez and Elkhorn freshman Emily Fink in the second spot. In singles, the Savage Storm's only two wins came in third set tie breakers (No. 2 and No. 5).
 
The Lopers head to Truman State and Quincy (Ill.) next weekend. The UNK women will also face league foe Missouri Western State on the trip.