SAN ANTONIO – A short-handed Southwestern University Pirates women's tennis team showed up shorthanded to its match against the Trinity University Tigers, falling 9-0 on the road.
With only four players on hand, the Pirates margin for error was zero, falling out of it after losing both doubles matches and forfeiting the third with Esther Bowers and Mary Cardone losing 8-4 to Zoe Kaffen and Mary Kaffen. Meeshti Shethia and Nina Elez followed with an 8-4 loss to Andrea De Leon and Megan Flores.
Things went from bad to worse when Mary Cardone took a spill in the second set of the No. 1 match, losing in straight sets.
"Having to default three matches was unfortunately extremely noticeable in our body language during doubles and it showed," Head coach Billy Porter said. "Mary took a bad fall at the beginning of the second set and physically just wasn't able to continue to compete at the level required. We certainly appreciate her willingness to continue and give it a try."
Bowers dropped the first set 6-1 but bounced back in the second before losing it 7-5. Elez won the first set in the No. 3 spot but dropped the next two 4-6 and 7-10. Shethia lost in straight sets in the No. 4 spot.
"Esther has a rough first set," Porter said. "I thought she did a good job of being coachable and adaptable in that second set. Nina lost a tough one but I really like the way she played."
With the loss, the Pirates drop to 12-2 on the season. Southwestern will return home for matches against Colorado College, Austin College, Mary Hardin-Baylor and Texas Lutheran from Thursday, Apr. 4 through Saturday, Apr. 6.