SAN ANTONIO – With the overall score tied 3-3 with one match remaining, Alejandra Tamayo won an intense third-set tiebreaker 12-10 to give the University of the Incarnate Word women's tennis team their first Southland Conference victory, 4-3, in nearly three years on Sunday at the Clarence Mabry Tennis Center.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The doubles' point also came down to the wire, as the Cardinals (4-14, 1-5 SLC) and Colonels (6-7, 1-6 SLC) split the first two matches. It all came down to the battle at the #1 court, where Nicholls would end up winning 7-6 (9-7) to earn the doubles' point.

Needing four wins in singles, UIW got off on the wrong foot, losing the first match at #2. Maria Batchinsky at #6 evened out the scores with a strong 6-3, 6-2 victory. After Nicholls won another match at #4, all they needed was one win out of the remaining three matches, but UIW wouldn't allow it. They would go on to win the last three matches to secure their first conference win since April 12, 2014 when they beat Oral Roberts 4-3. Victoria Kareh won at #3 6-3, 6-4, Matea Zemunik took her match 6-4, 6-4 at #1 and it all came down to the #5 court where Tamayo had just lost the second set 7-6. In the third set, both players exchanged the lead numerous times, but Tamayo finally put Changwei Wei away.

UP NEXT

UIW will now go on the road for two conference games next weekend. They'll face Louisiana Lafayette in a non-conference game on Friday, March 31 at 3:30 p.m. and a Southland Conference match at Southeastern Louisiana on Saturday April 1 at 12 p.m.

For the most up-to-date information on UIW Athletics visit uiwcardinals.com. Be sure to follow UIW Athletics on Twitter @UIWAthletics and like UIW Athletics on Facebook at UIW Athletics.

FULL RESULTS
Nicholls vs Univ. of the Incarnate Word
Mar 26, 2017 at San Antonio, Tx
(Clarence Mabry Tennis Center)
 
Univ. of the Incarnate Word 4, Nicholls 3
 
Singles competition
1. Matea Zemunik (UIW) def. Lingfeng Gu (NICH) 6-4, 6-4
2. Clemence Krug (NICH) def. Rachel Sadiq (UIW) 6-1, 6-1
3. Victoria Kareh (UIW) def. Ambika Pande (NICH) 6-3, 6-4
4. Mariia Kozachok (NICH) def. Sarah Savedra (UIW) 6-4, 6-2
5. Alejandra Tamayo (UIW) def. Changwei Wei (NICH) 6-4, 6-7, 7-6 (12-10)
6. Maria Batchinsky (UIW) def. Andrea Mastrippolito (NICH) 6-3, 6-2
 
Doubles competition
1. Lingfeng Gu/Clemence Krug (NICH) def. Matea Zemunik/Rachel Sadiq (UIW) 7-6 (9-7)
2. Victoria Kareh/Sarah Savedra (UIW) def. Ambika Pande/Mariia Kozachok (NICH) 6-3
3. Changwei Wei/Andrea Mastrippolito (NICH) def. Alejandra Tamayo/Maria Batchinsky (UIW) 6-3
 
Match Notes:
Nicholls 6-7, 1-6 SLC
Univ. of the Incarnate Word 4-14, 1-5 SLC
Order of Finish: Doubles (3,2,1) Singles (2, 6, 4, 3, 1, 5)
T: 3:45