Final Results

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Samford University women's tennis team suffered a hard-fought 4-3 loss to cross-town rival UAB on Wednesday as the Bulldogs fell short at home for the first time this season in a hotly-contested matchup held at the Samford Tennis Center.
 
Samford (4-3) and UAB (6-1) split the singles matches, 3-3, but the Blazers opened the competition with a critical victory in doubles play that proved to be the decisive factor of the contest.
 
On courts No. 2 and 3, the Bulldogs and Blazers traded 8-6 victories, sending the clinching match to court No. 1 where UAB's combination of Rachel Daniell and Menanteau Moolman held on for a 9-8 win over Samford's Kristin Lewis and Stephanie N'tcha. With the heartbreaking loss, the Bulldogs' pairing of Lewis and N'tcha moved to 1-1 in doubles play this season.
 
UAB took the early 1-0 lead Wednesday and then earned singles wins on courts No. 1, 2 and 6 to claim the 4-3 team victory.
 
Samford's singles triumphs occurred in the middle of the lineup as N'tcha defeated Moolman on court No. 3, 6-3, 6-0, and Emily Mallory cruised to a 6-4, 6-1 win over Elaine Simon in the No. 5 singles contest. In the only three-set match of the evening, the Bulldogs' Carita Moolman outlasted UAB's Amy Lowther, 6-2, 3-6, 6-0, on court No. 4.
 
With their wins Wednesday, Samford's N'tcha and Mallory both improved to 5-1 in singles play this season. Moolman, the Bulldogs' true freshman from Aranos, Namibia, upped her record to 4-3 this year and a perfect 4-0 when playing on court No. 4.
 
Samford's doubles victory occurred on court No. 2 as the Bulldogs' tandem of Adri Lochner and Moolman defeated UAB's pairing of Caroline Faught and Sarah Witkowski, 8-6.
 
The Samford University women's tennis team will next be in action Saturday at noon (CST) as the Bulldogs remain at home for another key nonconference contest against the Southern Miss Golden Eagles to be held at the Samford Tennis Center.

Final Results