GEORGETOWN, Texas — The Southwestern women's tennis team hosted the top team in the nation, losing 6-3 in a hard-fought match to the University of Chicago. 

Chicago picked up wins in the top two doubles lines, but Taylor Despriet and Lauren Chisholm prevented the sweep with an 8-4 win at No. 3 doubles. 

Nina Mitrofanova and Lydia Lee lost 8-5 to Sylwia Mikos and Shianna Guo at No. 1 doubles, and Alli Ziehm and Emma Kesterson were defeated 8-6 by Nicole Geller and Eugenia Lee at the No. 2 spot. Despriet and Chisholm scored an 8-4 win over Miranda Yuan and Cara O'Flaherty. 

"We came out guns blazing in doubles on all three lines," Southwestern head tennis coach Billy Porter says. "Chicago did a good job of weathering the storm at No. 1 and No. 2, but we played really well. What a win for Lauren and Taylor at No. 3." 

Mitrofanova dropped a close 7-5 first set to Mikos before losing 6-1 in the second. Despriet was defeated 6-3, 6-2 by Guo in No. 2 doubles, and Kesterson lost a three-set match 6-4, 4-6, 1-6 in No. 3 singles. Sydney Wahl scored a singles point for Southwestern, defeating Yuan 6-3, 7-6 with a 10-8 tiebreaker. Lee lost 6-1, 6-1 to Lauren Park. Ziehm scored a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Annika Pandey.

"Sydney and Alli both had good wins for us tonight. Alli played composed, was in control, and dictated play all night," Porter says. "Sydney did an outstanding job battling back from 2-5 down in the second to pull out the match in the breaker.

"It was really cool hosting the No. 1 team in the nation on our courts and I am so proud that our girls played so fearless, battling to the very end and demonstrating toughness like no other." 

Southwestern drops to 7-3. The Pirates will travel to play the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor on Thursday, March 31, at 5:00 p.m.