ABILENE, Texas – For the second day in a row a Lamar University tennis contest has come down to the final singles match before being decided. Friday afternoon it was the LU men pulling out a one-point decision, unfortunately the women's team wasn't as fortunate dropping a 4-3 decision at Abilene Christian Saturday afternoon.
 
The Cardinals trailed by as many as two points in the match before rallying to tie the match at three heading into the sixth singles match. The Wildcats pulled out the decision with a long three-set victory at the No. 2 position.
 
"I'm very proud of how the ladies competed today," said LU head coach David Wong. "ACU is a well-coached team. We had our opportunities and we let it slip. I always say you have to be good and have some luck in your favor – when it comes to winning. We just have to regroup and keep our heads up and get focused on the next match."
 
The Wildcats took the first point of the day winning the doubles point. ACU picked up the first match at No. 1 doubles, but the Cardinals rallied back at the No. 3 spot. The team of senior Hanna Elfving and freshman Jasmin Buchta posted a 6-3 victory over ACU's Jordan Hendry and Ansley Boarman at No. 3 doubles, but that would be Big Red's lone doubles' win.
 
After ACU took the first singles match of the day, the Cardinals got on the scoreboard with a victory at No. 6 singles. Elfving posted a straight-sets victory over the Wildcats' Autumn Crossnoe, 6-2, 6-1 to cut the overall lead down to one. The Wildcats responded with a victory on court three to reclaim a two-point advantage.
 
The Cardinals then got wins at Nos. 1 and 5 singles to tie the match at three. Senior Katya Lapayeva won a hard-fought two-set victory on court one over the Wildcats' Erin Walker, 7-5, 6-2. Freshman Sanja Jolic tied the match with her 6-3, 7-5 victory over Henry at the No. 5 position.
 
Jolic's victory left the outcome focused on line two singles where senior Anna Spengler was locked in a three-set battle against ACU's Whitney Williams. After winning the first set, 7-5, Spengler needed just one more to take the match. Williams battled back to force a third set and then won the third, 7-5.
 
The Cardinals will be back on the court Monday when they return to Beaumont to host Cleveland State. The match against the Vikings will start at noon from the Thompson Family Tennis Center.