The Emory University women's tennis team fell in the University Athletic Association championship match Sunday morning, as the University of Chicago came away with the 5-2 victory at Sanlando Park in Altamonte Springs, FL.
It is the first time since the 2012 season that the Eagles did not capture the conference crown as the Maroons snapped Emory's seven-season title streak. The No. 4 ranked Eagles slip to 8-9 with the defeat with No. 1 ranked Chicago improving to 18-1.
Emory fell behind 3-0 following doubles as UC emerged with three tightly contested wins. Senior Christina Watson and sophomore Ana Cristina Perez were upended on court one, 8-6, before the Maroons claimed tiebreaker wins on the other two courts against senior Lauren Yoon/freshman Eliza McPherron 8-7 (3) and senior Emma Cartledge/junior Alexa Goetz 8-7 (1).
Needing wins on five of the six singles courts, the Eagles started strong with back-to-back wins at the fourth and fifth positions with junior Stephanie Shulman recorded a 6-3, 6-2 win on four before seeing Perez capture the 6-1, 6-4 win on five.
The remaining four matches all went to a third set to decide a winner. After dropping the first two singles matches, Chicago got one back with a win over Goetz on court six 3-6, 1-6, 2-6 to push the Maroons on the edge of the title.
The top three singles courts all came down to wire with the eventual clinching point being won by UC on court two over McPherron 2-6, 6-4, 0-6. At the conclusion of the match, the Eagles held leads at the first and third spots with Cartledge in front 6-2, 4-6, 4-3 on one and Watson leading 4-6, 7-5, 4-3 on three.
Emory will now await word on the NCAA tournament draw when the postseason tournament field is announced Monday, May 9th.