Cowgirls Fall In ASC Final

Photo Gallery

ABILENE, Texas — Hardin-Simmons’ women’s tennis team dropped a 5-3 heartbreaker to Texas-Tyler in the finals of the American Southwest Conference Championship Tournament, Sunday evening at McMurry.

The Cowgirls number three doubles team of Bria Camarillo and Danielle Cochran rolled through Lauren Giovannini and Brittany Ude 8-3 to give HSU a 1-0 lead and UTT won at No. 2 doubles, 8-4. With No. 1 doubles still on the court, UTT’s Beth Launius and Michelle Hagler fought off match point with the Cowgirls’ Brittany Brazell and Lisa Mertz leading 7-6. UTT broke, won and broke again to win 9-7.

UTT took the lead to 4-1 with 6-1, 6-1 wins at No. 2 and No. 4 singles. Brazell then finished off Lauren Nelson, 6-2, 6-3. Lisa Mertz rallied to win her second two sets to defeat Launius at No. 1 singles and close the match to 4-3.

HSU’s Jennifer Cheung, who had won first-set tiebreaker, then lost the next two sets 6-0, 6-0 in the deciding match for UTT against Lauren Giovannini. Danielle Cochran was up a break in the second set after dropping the first set at No. 6 singles when the match ended.

It is the second straight year UTT has defeated the Cowgirls in the ASC finals. HSU finishes its season with a record of 12-5 and UTT will advance to the NCAA Tournament with a record of 15-7.

Mertz and Brazell were named to the all-tournament team for the Cowgirls. Camarillo was the lone senior for the Cowgirls.

Texas-Tyler 5, Hardin-Simmons 3
Singles
1. Lisa Mertz (HSU) def. Beth Launius (UTT) 4-6, 6-2, 6-2
2. Michelle Hagler (UTT) def. Morgan Rainer (HSU) 6-1, 6-1
3. Brittany Brazell (HSUW) def. Lauren Nielsen (UTT) 6-2, 6-3
4. Sydni Hermsdorf (UTT) def. Lauren Jay (HSU) 6-1, 6-1
5. Lauren Giovannini (UTT) def. Jennifer Cheung (HSU) 6-7 (5-7), 6-0, 6-0
6. Brittany Ude (UTT) vs. Danielle Cochran (HSU) 6-4, 1-2, unfinished
Doubles
1. Beth Launius/Michelle Hagler (UTT) def. Lisa Mertz/Brittany Brazell (HSU) 9-7
2. Lauren Nielsen/Sydni Hermsdorf (UTT) def. Jennifer Cheung/Diane Crouch (HSUW) 8-4
3. Bria Camarillo/Danielle Cochran (HSUW) def. Lauren Giovannini/Brittany Ude (UTT) 8-3


--- HSU ---