WACO, Texas – Junior Hanna Elfving recorded a straight-sets victory at No. 6 singles for the Lamar University women's tennis team (9-8) but it was the only point Big Red scored in the match. The Cardinals lost at Baylor, 4-1, Friday morning at the Hawkins Indoor Tennis Complex. The setback against the Bears continued an up-and-down stretch for the Cardinals that has seen them split their last six matches.
 
"Baylor is a very tough team, and we knew that coming into today," said LU head coach David Wong. "We pushed them in doubles for nearly an hour – and those matches normally take about 30 minutes. I think we learned a lot from this match and the important thing is that we take that and apply it to our next competition. In the end, we fought hard but came up short."
 
The Bears claimed the doubles point with wins at Nos. 1 and 2 doubles, but LU had its hosts locked in a close battle at the No. 3 position trailing 5-4 when the match was stopped.
 
The Red and White immediately battled right back in the singles competition. Elfving made quick work of the Bears' Vanessa Phan, 6-1, 6-0, at No. 6 singles to tie the match at 1-1, but after evening up the score Baylor went on a run taking the next three matches.
 
All singles points – for both teams – were scored at the bottom of the singles lineup as Nos. 1 and 2 singles did not finish. The Bears reclaimed the advantage with a straight sets victory at No. 5 singles.  Baylor pulled to within a point of the team win after picking up a victory on court three and ended the match with a win at No. 4.
 
The Cardinals return to Southland Conference play Sunday when they host Abilene Christian. The match against the Wildcats is slated to begin at 10 a.m. from the Thompson Family Tennis Center.
   
Singles
1. Blair Shankle (BU) vs. Katya Lapayeva (LU), 6-2, 4-3 Unf.
2. Kiah Generette (BU) vs. Andrea Ivanovic (LU), 6-3, 1-1 Unf.
3. Rhiann Newborn (BU) def. Anna Spengler (LU), 6-3, 6-1
4. Karina Traxler (BU) def. Talissa Merchiers (LU), 6-1, 6-0
5. Gabriela Ferreira (BU) def. Stephanie Marchena (LU), 6-2, 6-0
6. Hanna Elfving (LU) def. Vanessa Phan (BU), 6-1, 6-0
 
Doubles
1. #14 Shankle/Generette (BU) def. Ivanovic/Spengler (LU), 6-1
2. Profit/Traxler (BU) def. Lapayeva/Di Laura (LU), 6-3
3. Ferreira/Phan (BU) vs. Merchiers/Marchena (LU), 5-4 Unf.