April 25, 2008

NACOGDOCHES - A marathon match that saw four singles matches reach three sets and a fifth go to a tiebreaker in the second set, but the No. 4-seeded Bobcats ended on the wrong side of the scoreboard with a 4-3 loss to No. 5 UTSA as Texas State (10-10, 7-4 SLC) saw its season end in the first round of the Southland Conference Tournament on Friday.

UTSA (9-12, 6-5 SLC) opened with a win in doubles, but Andrea Giraldo's 6-7, 6-4, 6-4 win over Karen Seida at No. 1 singles evened the match. Ashley Ellis added a straight set win at No. 2 over Nathalie Wallin, but the Roadrunners bounced back with wins at No. 3 and No. 4 singles. Monika Drabkova won a second set tiebreaker to defeate Lainy Chafitz at No. 3 while Ali Gulida dropped a second set tiebreaker 7-4 to Holly Phillips before losing the third set 6-1.

Jennifer Nowland rallied from a 7-5 first set loss to win 5-7, 6-4, 6-1 over Eva Silvester at No. 6 singles to tie the match at 3-3, but Sumarie Muller could not hold on after a first set win to lose 6-2, 4-6, 4-6 to Caroline Dedering at No. 5 singles.

UTSA will next play regular season champion and No. 1 seed Southeastern Louisiana.

UTSA 4, Texas State 3 Singles competition
1. Giraldo, Andrea (TXST) def. Seida, Karen (UTSA) 6-7, 6-4, 6-4
2. Ellis, Ashley (TXST) def. Wallin, Nathalie (UTSA) 6-4, 6-2
3. Drabkova, Monika (UTSA) def. Chafitz, Lainy (TXST) 6-4, 7-6 (7-1)
4. Phillips, Holly (UTSA) def. Gulida, Ali (TXST) 3-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-1
5. Dedering, Caroline (UTSA) def. Muller, Sumarie (TXST) 2-6, 6-4, 6-4
6. Nowland, Jennifer (TXST) def. Silvester, Eva (UTSA) 5-7, 6-4, 6-1