ABILENE, Texas – Hardin-Simmons' women's tennis fell 5-3 to East Texas Baptist in the American Southwest Conference semifinals on Friday afternoon at the Streich Tennis Center.
East Texas Baptist took the early lead in double with an 8-0 win at No. 2. HSU trailed 5-2 at No. 3 and 6-3 at No. 1 doubles. Hannah and
Jenna Smith then rallied for six straight games to take an 8-5 win at No. 3.
Shayne Cook and
Michaela Ellison then rallied to take a 7-6 lead at No. 1 doubles, before ETBU won the final three games for a 9-7 win.
Cook was the first singles match finished as she rolled 6-0, 6-1 at No. 1 singles over Kate Bramlett. ETBU won 6-1, 6-2 at No. 3 singles and
Hannah Smith won at No. 4 singles 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 to tie the match at 3-3.
ETBU took a 4-3 lead with a win at No. 6 singles and then ETBU clinched the match as Elisa Kendall won a third set tiebreaker 7-4 over
Jenna Smith at No. 2 singles.
HSU finishes its season with a record 15-7 and ETBU improved to 16-5 and will face UT-Tyler for the ASC Championship on Saturday at 11 a.m.
It was the final match for the Cowgirls four seniors – Cook, Brian and the Smith sisters.
East Texas Baptist 5, Hardin-Simmons 3
Singles
1. Shayne Cook (HSU) def. Kate Bramlett, 6-0, 6-1
2. Elisa Kendall (ETBU) def. Jenna Smith, 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7-4)
3. Tiffany Stankiewicz (ETBU) def. Michaela Ellison, 6-1, 6-2
4. Hannah Smith (HSU) def. Kaleigh Smith, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3
5. Jasmine Briant (HSU) vs. Mullika Seekhieo (ETBU) 6-4, 5-7, 4-4, unfinished
6. Kellie Cawthon (ETBU) def. Kyra Mobley, 6-7 (6-8), 6-2, 6-2
Doubles
1. Bramlett/Smith (ETBU) def. Cook/Ellison, 9-7
2. Stankiewicz/Kendall (ETBU) def. Briant/Mobley, 8-0
3. Jenna Smith/Hannah Smith (HSU) def. Cawthon/Seekhieo, 8-5
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