The Seattle University women's tennis team hung tough but couldn't come back from a 2-0 deficit Sunday against Eastern Washington. The Redhawks fell 4-3 to the Eagles at the Sammamish Club in Issaquah, Wash., in a contest that wasn't decided until the final singles point.
The match came down to the number five singles contest, where Sarah Lucas (Las Vegas, Nev.) and Ryann Warner squared off. Lucas gave the first set to Warner 6-2, but hung tough during the second set. She couldn't complete the comeback, however, and fell 6-2, 6-4 to give the Eagles the deciding fourth point in the dual match.
Lindsey Newman (Freeland, Wash.) claimed the first point for the Redhawks at the second singles position. She beat Chelsea Patton of Eastern Washington in straight sets, 6-1, 6-3, while Corinne Wurden (Poulsbo, Wash.) earned Seattle U's second point at number four singles, taking down Eastern's Kelsey Knight 6-4, 7-5.
In the sixth singles spot, Nicole Nakaoka (Honolulu, Hawaii) won her third singles match in as many attempts this spring by defeating Nefeli Diamenti 7-5, 6-2. Nakaoka's victory tied the overall match at three with just Lucas's contest left to finish.
The Redhawks dropped the crucial doubles point to open the team match. Katrina Schwab (Spokane, Wash.) and Wurden scored one doubles win for the Redhawks with an easy 8-1 romp of the Eastern Washington duo of Warner and Rocio Norena at number two doubles.
That would be the only doubles victory for Seattle U, however, as Anna Lambert (Spokane, Wash.) and Newman battled tough, but fell at number one doubles. The SU pair traded points to begin the match, but the Eagles earned a key serve break for their sixth game and ended up taking the match, 9-7.
The Redhawks look to bounce back from their close loss in Las Vegas, Nev., playing four matches during spring break. They begin the week Tuesday, March 20 with a 5:00 p.m. showdown with Southern Utah.
Eastern Washington 4, Seattle University 3
Sammamish Club-Issaquah, Wash.
Doubles
1. Hedberg/Uriarte (EWU) defeat Newman/Lambert (SEA) 9-7
2. Schwab/Wurden (SEA) defeat Warner/Norena (EWU) 8-1
3. Knight/Patton (EWU) defeat Weissmann/Lucas (SEA) 8-4
Order of Finish: 2, 3, 1
Singles
1. Moira Hedberg (EWU) defeats Katrina Schwab (SEA) 6-1, 6-3
2. Lindsey Newman (SEA) defeats Chelsea Patton (EWU) 6-1, 6-3
3. Chrissy Uriarte (EWU) defeats Gabriella Weissmann (SEA) 6-3, 6-3
4. Corinne Wurden (SEA) defeats Kelsey Knight (EWU) 6-4, 7-5
5. Ryann Warner (EWU) defeats Sarah Lucas (SEA) 6-2, 6-4
6. Nicole Nakaoka (SEA) defeats Nefeli Diamenti (EWU) 7-5, 6-2
Order of Finish: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 5