Bolivar, Mo. – The SBU women's tennis team battled in a close contest Friday afternoon in their home opener. The Bearcats fell to the Emporia State Hornets by a final score of 3-4, moving to 1-4 on the season.
 
The day started out with clutch doubles wins in the #1 and #2 spot to get an early win in the match. Isabella Canedo and Defne Ursan won at the #1 spot 6-4 while Maria Clara Zotti and Sammi Liu won 6-4 at the #2 spot giving SBU a 1-0 lead.
 
Clara Zotti used that momentum for a quick and easy win at the #3 spot putting the Bearcats up 2-0. The Hornets bounced back with two straight tiebreaker wins at the #2 spot, where Ursan fell 5-7, 4-7. Freshman Sammi Liu had ice in her veins as she competed at the #1 spot for the first time in her collegiate career. After falling in the first set 3-6, she dominated her opponent winning the next two sets 6-1, as SBU led 3-1. The #4, #5, and #6 spots did not go the way of Southwest Baptist, as the Hornets were able to complete the comeback.
 
The Bearcats will now begin a long road journey as they don't return home until March 21^st. Their next games will take place in a week on Friday and Saturday February 27^th, 28^th. They will start with a game against Southern Arkansas University at 2:30 p.m. in Magnolia, Arkansas.