WKU Tennis’ season ended Thursday with 4-2 first round loss to Alabama-Birmingham in the Conference USA Tournament in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 

WKU lost the doubles point. Freshman Sofia Blanco and sophomore Samantha Martinez won their doubles match 6-2, before the Blazers tied the match. Redshirt junior Cora-Lynn von Dungern and redshirt sophomore Paola Cortez tied their match 6-6, but lost the tiebreaker 7-2 to secure the doubles win for UAB. 

In singles play, the Blazers quickly took a 2-0 lead. The Lady Toppers fought back, winning consecutive matches to tie the score. Freshman Rachel Hermanova won 7-5, 6-2 while redshirt senior Laura Bernardos won her match 5-7, 6-4, 6-1, tying the score at 2-2. 

UAB took the next two matches to clinch its 4-2 victory and move to the quarterfinals of the C-USA Tournament. The match took four hours and 20 minutes, the longest of the season for WKU. 

“We played hard to the last point,” WKU head coach Greg Davis said. “UAB is a very good team and very deserving to move on. [I’m] very proud of the team and what they accomplished. 18 wins and 2-1 in Conference USA shows the program is on the rise. The messages from collegiate hall of fame coaches and professionals have been numerous this year, and it is great to see how those in the tennis community have noticed the success of the program. It is very humbling.”

With this devastating loss, WKU Tennis finishes its 2022 season with an 18-9 overall record, the second most wins in program history and most in a season since 1985.

Sports Reporter Izzy Lanuza can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @izzylanuza.