BEAUMONT, Texas – Lamar University's season came to a close Saturday in the semifinals of the 2017 Southland Championship tournament. The second-seeded Cardinals lost to No. 3 seed Central Arkansas, 4-2, Saturday at the Beaumont Municipal Tennis Center. The loss ended the Cardinals season at 17-8, a year which ranks as one of the all-time best in program history.
"I'm obviously very disappointed," said LU head coach
David Wong. "We had a great season, and no one can take that away from our ladies. We put ourselves in position to win the doubles point leading 5-2 but didn't take advantage of our opportunities.
"Even though we didn't win the doubles, I still felt very good about our chances. After falling behind in singles, I was very proud of how Hanna (Elfving) and Anna (Spengler) battled back to get us back in the match. I'm also very proud of
Sanja Jolic and
Talisa Merchiers for being able to force a third set after losing the first," added Wong.
UCA (21-6) jumped out to a quick start in doubles competition taking a victory on court No. 3, but the Cards bounced back with a win on court one. The team of seniors
Katya Lapayeva and
Anna Spengler recorded a 6-4 victory over UCA's Pornpawee Pramethong and Hee-Jin Oh.
The match at No. 2 doubles went to a tiebreak before being decided. LU's duo of
Jasmin Buchta and
Hanna Elfving were edged out in the tiebreak, 7-6 (7-5).
The Bears held the momentum from doubles jumping out to a 3-0 lead before the Red and White mounted a rally. Elfving got the Cardinals on the scoreboard with her victory at No. 6 singles. She recorded a 6-3, 6-3, victory over UCA's Rada Manataweewat to cut the deficit to two.
Classmate
Anna Spengler pulled Big Red within a point when she picked up a straight-sets victory at No. 2 singles. Spengler ousted Central Arkansas' Hee-Jin Oh, 6-4, 6-4. The one-point deficit would be as close as the Cardinals could get as UCA picked up the clincher on court No. 5.
"Although these moments are painful, hopefully our three returners can take from this experience and build on it for next season," said Wong.
The Cardinals end the year with 17 victories – its most since the 2011 season (19). Big Red's 17-win campaign ties for the fifth-best season in program history.
-LU CARDINALS-
