MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The No. 7 University of West Alabama women's tennis team dropped a close decision to No. 28 Mississippi College in the semifinals of the Gulf South Conference Championship by a 4-3 score, Sunday afternoon from Lagoon Park.
The Choctaws, the 5-seed in the tournament, improve to 15-8 and advance to Monday's Championship Match. The Tigers, the top-seed, fall to 15-9.
Things were looking up in doubles for UWA, as No. 10
Shaira Rivera and
Hardija Vidnere (14-4) got the Tigers out in front with a 6-3 score.
After MC's No. 3 doubles team evened the match,
Khim Iglupas and
Heden Ly (14-3) put UWA on the board with a doubles point.
The battle moved over to singles, and for No. 2 Iglupas (18-1), she made it a 2-0 lead with a straight-set victory at the top flight.
MC made it 2-1 with a win by No. 74 Emma Roberts at the No. 2 line, but Vidnere's win at the No. 6 flight pushed the lead to 3-1. The graduate student (11-9) took down Anna Hudson, 6-0, 6-4.
The Choctaws pulled even with victories at the No. 5 and No. 4 flights. Coming down to the three-singles, Fernanda Cota dropped Ly in the third set to dethrone the three-time defending tournament champions.
UWA will await its fate in the NCAA Championships, scheduled to start the weekend of May 10-12. The selection show is scheduled for Monday, May 6.
