NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - The Southwestern women's tennis team had their best outing this year at the SCAC Championships. Their fourth place finish was the hishest finish for the Pirate women since 1998.

SU opened the tournament with Rhodes College and wasted no time taking the lead, winning two of the three doubles matches. Jessica Gaines and Elyse Bigler were in for a fight in #1 doubles, but won the match in a barn-burner 9-8 (7-4). Victoria DeLeon and Aimee Blake followed suit with a 9-7 victory in #2.

As the match moved into singles play the Pirates had their sights set on the win and took care of business by winning four of the six singles matches. Bigler (#2) easily won 6-2, 6-3 and Gaines (#3), though challenged early, won in straight sets 6-4, 6-2. Blake (#4) and Virginia Stofer (#5) wrapped up the win with 6-3, 6-4 and 6-2, 6-2 victories.

With the win the Pirates advanced to face Sewanee on Saturday. Sewanee jumped out to a 3-0 lead after sweeping doubles from Southwestern 8-3, 8-2, 8-2. SU wasn't able to get in a groove as they lost all singles matches with no Pirate taking more than two games in a match.

The loss dropped the Pirates out of title contention and into the consolation bracket to face Millsaps in the #3/#4 place game. Southwestern got out to a slow start once again, dropping two of three doubles matches. Kindall Hogenson and Abigail Sedory kept SU from being swept with a 8-5 win in #3 doubles.

Knowing they had a lot of work to do in singles play to win the match the Pirates took to the courts but couldn't get the upset as the Majors took the top four matches from Southwestern. Hogenson (#5) and Stofer (#6) easily won their matches 6-0, 6-2 and 6-1, 6-1, respectively.

With the loss the Pirates fell into fourth place for the tournament, just out of taking home some hardware. It was still one of the best showings for the Pirates in recent years and Coach Lester Sombito has a lot of young talent to build from for next season.