Eastern Michigan Athletics
Friday, October 2
East Lansing, Mich.
9 a.m.
Eastern Michigan University
at
Spartan Invitational
Tennis Completes Play at Spartan Invite
10/4/2026 7:40:00 PM | Tennis
Salek reaches Flight B final; Eagles win seven of 11 three-set matches over three days in East Lansing
EAST LANSING, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University tennis team closed out the 2026 Spartan Invitational at the MSU Indoor Tennis Center, Oct. 2-4, with eight players competing across singles flights and doubles draws against a field that included Michigan State, DePaul, Marquette, Northwestern and Western Michigan.
The Eagles went 14-17 overall in individual matches across the three-day event, posting an 11-11 record in singles and 3-6 in doubles. Eleven of EMU's singles matches were pushed to three sets with the Eagles winning seven of those 11 matches.
Singles Results
Valentina Salek (San Juan de Morros, Venezuela/UE de Talento Deportivo/Findlay) was the Eagles' top performer, reaching the Singles Flight B championship match to finish as runner-up. Salek rallied from a first-set deficit to defeat Ayana Yaguchi (Western Michigan) in the quarterfinal, 3-6, 6-2, 6-1, then outlasted Michigan State's Amiya Bowles in a grueling three-set semifinal, 6-2, 6-7(2), 6-4, to advance to the final. Salek fell to Marquette's Elise Barnstedt in the championship match, 6-4, 6-2, finishing the tournament 2-1 in singles.
Lara Diaz Zayas (Mar de Ajo, Argentina/SEADEA) earned third place in Singles Flight D. She defeated Elizabeth Stuckslager (Marquette), 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, in the quarterfinal before falling to Julie Hostakova in three sets in the semifinal, 2-6, 6-2, 3-6. Diaz Zayas rebounded on Sunday to defeat Marquette's Maria Poon, 6-4, 6-4, to claim the third-place finish and close the tournament 2-1 in singles.
Matilde Parreira (Leiria, Portugal/Escola Secundária Afonso Lopes Vieria) earned fifth place in Singles Flight D after dropping her quarterfinal to Sienna Osborne in three sets. Parreira swept her two consolation matches in dominant fashion, defeating Eleanor Cochran (DePaul), 6-2, 6-1, and Leni Prankl (DePaul), 6-1, 6-2, to close the weekend 2-1 in singles.
Kseniia Saenko (Voronezh, Russia/Gymnasium 2) went 2-1 in Singles Flight E round-robin play, winning two consecutive three-set matches. She came from behind to defeat Michigan State's Kinsey Crawford, 5-7, 6-2, 6-0 — including a bagel in the decisive third set — in her opening match Friday, then held off Mahika Khanna (Western Michigan), 6-4, 4-6, 7-5, before falling to Marquette's Elena Duva in her final round-robin match, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2.
Pehal Kharadkar (Indore, India/Daly College Indore) went 1-1 in Singles Flight C. After dropping a first-set tiebreak to Michigan State's Ariane Lesterhuis in the quarterfinal, 6-7(0), 1-6, she rebounded in the consolation semifinal to defeat Lea Holmlund (Marquette) in three sets, 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-2. Sabrina Tolstova (Odesa, Ukraine/Tennisquick Los Cristianos) also went 1-2 in Flight C, closing the tournament with a seventh-place victory over Holmlund, 6-2, 6-3.
Iva Daneva (Kavadarci, North Macedonia/DSU Sportska Akademija) went 1-1 in Singles Flight E round-robin play, falling to Marquette's Elena Duva, 4-6, 4-6, before rallying for a three-set win over Julia Frazier (Western Michigan), 0-6, 6-3, 6-4. Maria Batinic (Rochester Hills, Mich./Online School/Findlay) competed in Singles Flight A — the toughest draw in the field — and went 0-3 against stiff opposition throughout the weekend.
Doubles Results
Eastern Michigan's four doubles pairings combined for a 3-6 record across the main draw. Daneva and Parreira opened with an 8-4 victory over Kinsey Crawford and Ariane Lesterhuis before falling in the second round. Diaz Zayas and Saenko advanced to the third round, picking up an 8-5 second-round victory before bowing out. Batinic and Kharadkar earned an 8-7(6) first-round win in a tiebreak before falling in the second round. The pairing of Salek and Tolstova went 0-2 on the weekend.
Match Notes
» Valentina Salek reached the Singles Flight B championship match, finishing as runner-up after going 2-1 in the flight against competition from Western Michigan and Michigan State.
» Lara Diaz Zayas claimed third place in Singles Flight D with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Marquette's Maria Poon in the third-place match Sunday.
» Matilde Parreira earned fifth place in Singles Flight D, sweeping both consolation matches in straight sets after dropping her opening-round match.
» Kseniia Saenko went 2-1 in Flight E round-robin play, winning two three-set matches including a come-from-behind victory over Michigan State's Kinsey Crawford, 5-7, 6-2, 6-0.
» Pehal Kharadkar rallied from a first-set tiebreak loss to defeat Lea Holmlund in three sets in the consolation semifinal of Flight C, 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-2.
» Sabrina Tolstova closed the tournament with a seventh-place victory in Flight C, defeating Holmlund, 6-2, 6-3.
» Iva Daneva rallied from a first-set shutout to defeat Julia Frazier in three sets in Flight E round-robin play, 0-6, 6-3, 6-4.
» Eastern Michigan won seven of 11 three-set singles matches across the three-day tournament.
Up Next
Eastern Michigan returns to action Thursday, Oct. 8, at the ITA Midwest Regional in Champaign, Ill.
2026 Spartan Invitational Results
East Lansing, Mich.
Oct. 2-4, 2026
Singles Flight A – Maria Batinic (0-3) – Eighth Place
Quarterfinal (10/2): Lu Mengqiao (Michigan State) def. Batinic, 6-4, 6-1
Conso Semifinal (10/3): Philippa Farber (Northwestern) def. Batinic, 6-3, 6-0
Seventh Place (10/4): Frida Weijerman (Western Michigan) def. Batinic, 5-7, 6-0, 6-0
Singles Flight B – Valentina Salek (2-1) – Second Place
Quarterfinal (10/2): Salek def. Ayana Yaguchi (Western Michigan), 3-6, 6-2, 6-1
Semifinal (10/3): Salek def. Amiya Bowles (Michigan State), 6-2, 6-7(2), 6-4
Final (10/4): Elise Barnstedt (Marquette) def. Salek, 6-4, 6-2
Singles Flight C – Pehal Kharadkar (1-1)
Quarterfinal (10/2): Ariane Lesterhuis (Michigan State) def. Kharadkar, 7-6(0), 6-1
Conso Semifinal (10/3): Kharadkar def. Lea Holmlund (Marquette), 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-2
Singles Flight C – Sabrina Tolstova (1-2) – Seventh Place
Quarterfinal (10/2): Pei Chi Ho (Western Michigan) def. Tolstova, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3
Conso Semifinal (10/3): Katya Shepherd (Northwestern) def. Tolstova, 7-5, 6-2
Seventh Place (10/4): Tolstova def. Lea Holmlund (Marquette), 6-2, 6-3
Singles Flight D – Lara Diaz Zayas (2-1) – Third Place
Quarterfinal (10/2): Diaz Zayas def. Elizabeth Stuckslager (Marquette)
Semifinal (10/3): Julie Hostakova (Western Michigan) def. Diaz Zayas, 6-2, 2-6, 6-3
Third Place (10/4): Diaz Zayas def. Maria Poon (Marquette), 6-4, 6-4
Singles Flight D – Matilde Parreira (2-1) – Fifth Place
Quarterfinal (10/2): Sienna Osborne (Western Michigan) def. Parreira, 0-6, 6-4, 6-2
Conso Semifinal (10/3): Parreira def. Eleanor Cochran (DePaul), 6-2, 6-1
Fifth Place (10/4): Parreira def. Leni Prankl (DePaul), 6-1, 6-2
Singles Flight E – Kseniia Saenko (2-1)
Round Robin #1 (10/2): Saenko def. Kinsey Crawford (Michigan State), 5-7, 6-2, 6-0
Round Robin #2 (10/3): Saenko def. Mahika Khanna (Western Michigan), 6-4, 4-6, 7-5
Round Robin #3 (10/4): Elena Duva (Marquette) def. Saenko, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2
Singles Flight E – Iva Daneva (1-1)
Round Robin #1 (10/2): Elena Duva (Marquette) def. Daneva, 6-4, 6-4
Round Robin #2 (10/3): Denva def. Julia Frazier (Western Michigan), 0-6, 6-3, 6-4
Doubles Main Draw – Iva Daneva/Matilde Parreira (1-1)
First Round (10/2): Daneva/Parreira def. Kinsey Crawford/Ariane Lesterhuis (Michigan State), 8-4
Second Round: Ella Fitcher/Ayana Yaguchi (Western Michigan) def. Daneva/Parreira, 8-4
Doubles Main Draw – Lara Diaz Zayas/Kseniia Saenko (1-2)
First Round (10/2): Nina Plihal/Nora Syrtveit (Michigan State) def. Diaz Zayas/Saenko, 8-3
Second Round (10/2): Diaz Zayas/Saenko def. Lea Holmlund/Maria Poon (Marquette), 8-5
Third Round (10/3): Pei Chi Ho/Frida Weijerman (Western Michigan) def. Diaz Zayas/Saenko, 8-4
Doubles Main Draw – Maria Batinic/Pehal Kharadkar (1-1)
First Round (10/2): Batinic/Kharadkar (EM) def. Lea Holmund/Maria Poon (Marquette), 8-7(6)
Second Round (10/3): Philippa Farber/Erica Jessel (Northwestern) def. Batinic/Kharadkar, 8-6
Doubles Main Draw – Valentina Salek/Sabrina Tolstova (0-2)
First Round (10/2): Elizabeth Stuckslager/Emmerson White (Marquette) def. Salek/Tolstova, 8-5
Second Round (10/3): Clara Nilsson/Sasha Sakura Stula (DePaul) def. Salek/Tolstova, 8-7(5)
Follow Us
Stay up to date with EMU tennis by following the team on its social media channels. The team can be found on Instagram (@emu_tennis), X (@EMUEaglesTennis), and Facebook (EMUTennis).
The Eagles went 14-17 overall in individual matches across the three-day event, posting an 11-11 record in singles and 3-6 in doubles. Eleven of EMU's singles matches were pushed to three sets with the Eagles winning seven of those 11 matches.
Singles Results
Valentina Salek (San Juan de Morros, Venezuela/UE de Talento Deportivo/Findlay) was the Eagles' top performer, reaching the Singles Flight B championship match to finish as runner-up. Salek rallied from a first-set deficit to defeat Ayana Yaguchi (Western Michigan) in the quarterfinal, 3-6, 6-2, 6-1, then outlasted Michigan State's Amiya Bowles in a grueling three-set semifinal, 6-2, 6-7(2), 6-4, to advance to the final. Salek fell to Marquette's Elise Barnstedt in the championship match, 6-4, 6-2, finishing the tournament 2-1 in singles.
Lara Diaz Zayas (Mar de Ajo, Argentina/SEADEA) earned third place in Singles Flight D. She defeated Elizabeth Stuckslager (Marquette), 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, in the quarterfinal before falling to Julie Hostakova in three sets in the semifinal, 2-6, 6-2, 3-6. Diaz Zayas rebounded on Sunday to defeat Marquette's Maria Poon, 6-4, 6-4, to claim the third-place finish and close the tournament 2-1 in singles.
Matilde Parreira (Leiria, Portugal/Escola Secundária Afonso Lopes Vieria) earned fifth place in Singles Flight D after dropping her quarterfinal to Sienna Osborne in three sets. Parreira swept her two consolation matches in dominant fashion, defeating Eleanor Cochran (DePaul), 6-2, 6-1, and Leni Prankl (DePaul), 6-1, 6-2, to close the weekend 2-1 in singles.
Kseniia Saenko (Voronezh, Russia/Gymnasium 2) went 2-1 in Singles Flight E round-robin play, winning two consecutive three-set matches. She came from behind to defeat Michigan State's Kinsey Crawford, 5-7, 6-2, 6-0 — including a bagel in the decisive third set — in her opening match Friday, then held off Mahika Khanna (Western Michigan), 6-4, 4-6, 7-5, before falling to Marquette's Elena Duva in her final round-robin match, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2.
Pehal Kharadkar (Indore, India/Daly College Indore) went 1-1 in Singles Flight C. After dropping a first-set tiebreak to Michigan State's Ariane Lesterhuis in the quarterfinal, 6-7(0), 1-6, she rebounded in the consolation semifinal to defeat Lea Holmlund (Marquette) in three sets, 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-2. Sabrina Tolstova (Odesa, Ukraine/Tennisquick Los Cristianos) also went 1-2 in Flight C, closing the tournament with a seventh-place victory over Holmlund, 6-2, 6-3.
Iva Daneva (Kavadarci, North Macedonia/DSU Sportska Akademija) went 1-1 in Singles Flight E round-robin play, falling to Marquette's Elena Duva, 4-6, 4-6, before rallying for a three-set win over Julia Frazier (Western Michigan), 0-6, 6-3, 6-4. Maria Batinic (Rochester Hills, Mich./Online School/Findlay) competed in Singles Flight A — the toughest draw in the field — and went 0-3 against stiff opposition throughout the weekend.
Doubles Results
Eastern Michigan's four doubles pairings combined for a 3-6 record across the main draw. Daneva and Parreira opened with an 8-4 victory over Kinsey Crawford and Ariane Lesterhuis before falling in the second round. Diaz Zayas and Saenko advanced to the third round, picking up an 8-5 second-round victory before bowing out. Batinic and Kharadkar earned an 8-7(6) first-round win in a tiebreak before falling in the second round. The pairing of Salek and Tolstova went 0-2 on the weekend.
Match Notes
» Valentina Salek reached the Singles Flight B championship match, finishing as runner-up after going 2-1 in the flight against competition from Western Michigan and Michigan State.
» Lara Diaz Zayas claimed third place in Singles Flight D with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Marquette's Maria Poon in the third-place match Sunday.
» Matilde Parreira earned fifth place in Singles Flight D, sweeping both consolation matches in straight sets after dropping her opening-round match.
» Kseniia Saenko went 2-1 in Flight E round-robin play, winning two three-set matches including a come-from-behind victory over Michigan State's Kinsey Crawford, 5-7, 6-2, 6-0.
» Pehal Kharadkar rallied from a first-set tiebreak loss to defeat Lea Holmlund in three sets in the consolation semifinal of Flight C, 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-2.
» Sabrina Tolstova closed the tournament with a seventh-place victory in Flight C, defeating Holmlund, 6-2, 6-3.
» Iva Daneva rallied from a first-set shutout to defeat Julia Frazier in three sets in Flight E round-robin play, 0-6, 6-3, 6-4.
» Eastern Michigan won seven of 11 three-set singles matches across the three-day tournament.
Up Next
Eastern Michigan returns to action Thursday, Oct. 8, at the ITA Midwest Regional in Champaign, Ill.
2026 Spartan Invitational Results
East Lansing, Mich.
Oct. 2-4, 2026
Singles Flight A – Maria Batinic (0-3) – Eighth Place
Quarterfinal (10/2): Lu Mengqiao (Michigan State) def. Batinic, 6-4, 6-1
Conso Semifinal (10/3): Philippa Farber (Northwestern) def. Batinic, 6-3, 6-0
Seventh Place (10/4): Frida Weijerman (Western Michigan) def. Batinic, 5-7, 6-0, 6-0
Singles Flight B – Valentina Salek (2-1) – Second Place
Quarterfinal (10/2): Salek def. Ayana Yaguchi (Western Michigan), 3-6, 6-2, 6-1
Semifinal (10/3): Salek def. Amiya Bowles (Michigan State), 6-2, 6-7(2), 6-4
Final (10/4): Elise Barnstedt (Marquette) def. Salek, 6-4, 6-2
Singles Flight C – Pehal Kharadkar (1-1)
Quarterfinal (10/2): Ariane Lesterhuis (Michigan State) def. Kharadkar, 7-6(0), 6-1
Conso Semifinal (10/3): Kharadkar def. Lea Holmlund (Marquette), 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-2
Singles Flight C – Sabrina Tolstova (1-2) – Seventh Place
Quarterfinal (10/2): Pei Chi Ho (Western Michigan) def. Tolstova, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3
Conso Semifinal (10/3): Katya Shepherd (Northwestern) def. Tolstova, 7-5, 6-2
Seventh Place (10/4): Tolstova def. Lea Holmlund (Marquette), 6-2, 6-3
Singles Flight D – Lara Diaz Zayas (2-1) – Third Place
Quarterfinal (10/2): Diaz Zayas def. Elizabeth Stuckslager (Marquette)
Semifinal (10/3): Julie Hostakova (Western Michigan) def. Diaz Zayas, 6-2, 2-6, 6-3
Third Place (10/4): Diaz Zayas def. Maria Poon (Marquette), 6-4, 6-4
Singles Flight D – Matilde Parreira (2-1) – Fifth Place
Quarterfinal (10/2): Sienna Osborne (Western Michigan) def. Parreira, 0-6, 6-4, 6-2
Conso Semifinal (10/3): Parreira def. Eleanor Cochran (DePaul), 6-2, 6-1
Fifth Place (10/4): Parreira def. Leni Prankl (DePaul), 6-1, 6-2
Singles Flight E – Kseniia Saenko (2-1)
Round Robin #1 (10/2): Saenko def. Kinsey Crawford (Michigan State), 5-7, 6-2, 6-0
Round Robin #2 (10/3): Saenko def. Mahika Khanna (Western Michigan), 6-4, 4-6, 7-5
Round Robin #3 (10/4): Elena Duva (Marquette) def. Saenko, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2
Singles Flight E – Iva Daneva (1-1)
Round Robin #1 (10/2): Elena Duva (Marquette) def. Daneva, 6-4, 6-4
Round Robin #2 (10/3): Denva def. Julia Frazier (Western Michigan), 0-6, 6-3, 6-4
Doubles Main Draw – Iva Daneva/Matilde Parreira (1-1)
First Round (10/2): Daneva/Parreira def. Kinsey Crawford/Ariane Lesterhuis (Michigan State), 8-4
Second Round: Ella Fitcher/Ayana Yaguchi (Western Michigan) def. Daneva/Parreira, 8-4
Doubles Main Draw – Lara Diaz Zayas/Kseniia Saenko (1-2)
First Round (10/2): Nina Plihal/Nora Syrtveit (Michigan State) def. Diaz Zayas/Saenko, 8-3
Second Round (10/2): Diaz Zayas/Saenko def. Lea Holmlund/Maria Poon (Marquette), 8-5
Third Round (10/3): Pei Chi Ho/Frida Weijerman (Western Michigan) def. Diaz Zayas/Saenko, 8-4
Doubles Main Draw – Maria Batinic/Pehal Kharadkar (1-1)
First Round (10/2): Batinic/Kharadkar (EM) def. Lea Holmund/Maria Poon (Marquette), 8-7(6)
Second Round (10/3): Philippa Farber/Erica Jessel (Northwestern) def. Batinic/Kharadkar, 8-6
Doubles Main Draw – Valentina Salek/Sabrina Tolstova (0-2)
First Round (10/2): Elizabeth Stuckslager/Emmerson White (Marquette) def. Salek/Tolstova, 8-5
Second Round (10/3): Clara Nilsson/Sasha Sakura Stula (DePaul) def. Salek/Tolstova, 8-7(5)
Follow Us
Stay up to date with EMU tennis by following the team on its social media channels. The team can be found on Instagram (@emu_tennis), X (@EMUEaglesTennis), and Facebook (EMUTennis).
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