GEORGETOWN, Texas — The Southwestern women's tennis team played its second consecutive scholarship program to open the season, dropping a hard-fought match to the NCAA Division I University of Texas Rio Grande Valley 7-2. 

"We played our hearts out today against a Division I team out of the Western Athletic Conference in a five-hour, two-minute thriller that was much closer than the team score reflected," Southwestern head tennis coach Billy Porter says. "We literally laid it all out there, and I couldn't be prouder of the girls." 

Nina Mitrofanova and Lydia Lee moved up to the top line in doubles and secured an 8-4 victory over Isabelle Bahr and Lea Karren. Southwestern battled in the other two doubles matches, losing both 8-6, with Alli Ziehm and Emma Kesterson falling to Marjorie Souza and Barbara Martinez, and Taylor Despriet and Sydney Wahl defeated by Kristyna Mamicova and Sandra Putz. 

UT-Rio Grande Valley opened singles with a victory in line 2 with Karren besting Kesterson 6-2, 6-3. Despriet battled to a tough 6-4 loss in her first set against Souza in line 3, then dropped the second set 6-1.  

Mitrofanova showcased her All-American talent with a 6-2, 6-2 victory in line 1 over Bahr, earning both Southwestern points. Lee took Martinez to a 7-5 first set before dropping the second 6-1 in line 4. Wahl and Ziehm dropped three-set thrillers in lines 5 and 6. Wahl was defeated by Sasaroga 6-2, 2-6, 6-4, and Putz bested Ziehm 7-6, 6-7, and 10-4.  

"Nina had a great day getting us a point at No. 1 singles with a dominant performance and with Lydia at No. 1 doubles," Porter says. "Sydney and Alli lost two heartbreakers in third sets, but I love how we continue to get battle-tested early in the season. Emma, Taylor, and Lydia all fought hard in singles and lost two close ones at No. 2 and No. 3 Doubles that could have gone either way." 

Southwestern will continue its grueling early schedule with a road match on Friday, Feb. 11, against NCAA Division I Tarleton State (3-2).