SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The Lamar University women's tennis team (7-6) watched its season-best four match win streak come to an end Wednesday afternoon in San Antonio. In a battle of two evenly matched teams, the Cardinals were clipped by UTSA, 4-3, in a contest that was decided in doubles play.
 
The two teams split the six singles matches, with LU winning at Nos. 1-3 singles, while UTSA won all three matches at the bottom half of the lineup. The Roadrunners gained their advantage in the doubles competition, winning two of the three matches for the point.
 
"It hurt to not have Stephanie (Marchena) this afternoon," said LU head coach David Wong. "She returned home for family reasons. We still had our chances but didn't get the job done. We lost the doubles point and that made the difference in the match."
 
UTSA got wins at Nos. 3 and 1 doubles, respectively, to take a one-point advantage into the singles competition. The Roadrunners made it a 2-0 lead when Lina Hallgren defeated LU's Talisa Merchiers, 6-2, 6-1, at No. 4 singles.
 
The Cardinals got on the scoreboard with the conclusion of the very next match as junior Anna Spengler defeated Charlene Tiwari, 6-2, 7-5, on court three. Big Red, however, was unable to tie it up following the match at line six singles. The 'Runners got a victory from Nicole Karaklis to take a 3-1 lead.
 
Backed into a corner the Cardinals came out fighting and rallied to win the next two matches to tie things up at 3. Sophomore Andrea Ivanovic won a thrilling three-set victory over UTSA's Alena Shickkova, 7-5, 4-6, 6-1, to pull within one. Junior Katya Lapayeva followed suit with her win at the No. 1 spot by almost the same score. Lapayeva bounced the 'Runners' Rosell Canudas, 6-4, 4-6, 7-5.
 
Lapayeva's win at court one placed everyone's attention on the match at No. 5 singles. A battle between UTSA's Madronal Medina and LU's Luciana Di Laura became a war of attrition. The third three-set match of the day came down to each player trying to outlast their other. After Di Laura dropped a heartbreaker in the opening set, 7-6 (7-4), she turned the tables on her opponent to even the match with a 7-6 (7-2) victory of her own. Di Laura's victory in the second set forced a super tiebreak but UTSA's Medina took the victory, 10-3.
 
The Cardinals return to action Friday in a Southland matchup against Incarnate Word. The match against UIW will begin at 11 a.m. in San Antonio.
 
Singles
1. Katya Lapayeva (LU) def. M. Rossell Canudas (UTSA), 6-4, 4-6, 7-5
2. Andrea Ivanovic (LU) def. Alena Shichkova (UTSA), 7-5, 4-6, 6-1
3. Anna Spengler (LU) def. Charlene Tiwari (UTSA), 6-2, 7-5
4. Lina Hallgren (UTSA) def. Talisa Merchiers (UTSA), 6-2, 6-1
5. S. Madronal Medina (UTSA) def. Luciana Di Laura (LU), 7-6 (7-4), 6-7 (2-7), 10-3
6. Nicole Karaklis (UTSA) def. Teodora Stefanovic (LU), 7-5, 6-0

Doubles
1. Jacobea Junger/Canudas (UTSA) def. Ivanovic/Spengler (LU), 6-4
2. Hallgren/Tiwari (UTSA) vs. Di Laura/Lapayeva (LU), 6-5 Unf.
3. Medina/Shichkova (UTSA) def. Merchiers/Stefanovic (LU), 6-1

 
-LU CARDINALS-