SAN ANTONIO — UTSA snapped its two-match losing streak with a thrilling 4-3 home victory against Lamar on Wednesday afternoon. The contest came down to the final singles contest, which was decided in a third-set super tiebreaker.
The Roadrunners (8-9) got off to a solid start by winning the two completed doubles matches.
Sonia Madroñal Medina and Alena Shichkova got the momentum started when they cruised past Talisa Merchiers and Teodora Stefanovic by a score of 6-1 on the third court. That was followed by a 6-4 win by Jacobea Junger and Miriam Rosell Canudas on center court against Andrea Ivanovic and Anna Spengler. It marked the sixth consecutive triumph for UTSA's top tandem and 11th of the spring overall.
The two teams then battled throughout singles play, as half of the six matches went the distance.
Lina Hallgren put UTSA on top by two following her straight-sets victory (6-2, 6-1) against Merchiers at the fourth position in the lineup.
Spengler then cut the deficit in half for Lamar (7-6) after defeating Charlene Tiwari on the third court in two sets, 6-2, 7-5, but Nicole Karaklis brought the Roadrunners within one point of the win when she, too, won in straight sets (7-5, 6-0) against Stefanovicat the sixth spot.
However, the Lady Cardinals came out on top at both Nos. 1 and 2 in three sets to tie things up, as Ivanovic got past Shichkova by scores of 7-5, 4-6 and 6-1 at the second position and Katya Lapayeva outlasted Rosell Canudas on center court, 6-4, 4-6, 7-5.
The decisive point came down to the fifth spot in the lineup, where Madroñal Medina held off Luciana Di Laura in a match that featured three tiebreakers, 7-6 (7-4), 6-7 (2-7), 1-0 (10-3). It was the sophomore's first victory of the season.
UTSA will be back in action on Saturday when they take on former Southland Conference foe Nicholls (6-11) at 3 p.m. in Hattiesburg, Miss.
UTSA 4, Lamar 3
Doubles
1. Jacobea Junger/Miriam Rosell Canudas (UTSA) def. Andrea Ivanovic/Anna Spengler (LU) 6-4
2. Lina Hallgren/Charlene Tiwari (UTSA) vs. Luciana Di Laura/Katya Lapayeva (LU) 6-5, unfinished
3. Sonia Madroñal Medina/Alena Shichkova (UTSA) def. Talisa Merchiers/Teodora Stefanovic (LU) 6-1
Singles
1. Katya Lapayeva (LU) def. Miriam Rosell Canudas (UTSA) 6-4, 4-6, 7-5
2. Andrea Ivanovic (LU) def. Alena Shichkova (UTSA) 7-5, 4-6, 6-1
3. Anna Spengler (LU) def. Charlene Tiwari (UTSA) 6-2, 7-5
4. Lina Hallgren (UTSA) def. Talisa Merchiers (LU) 6-2, 6-1
5. Sonia Madroñal Medina (UTSA) def. Luciana Di Laura (LU) 7-6 (7-4), 6-7 (2-7), 1-0 (10-3)
6. Nicole Karaklis (UTSA) def. Teodora Stefanovic (LU) 7-5, 6-0
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1); Singles (4,3,6,2,1,5)