ORLANDO – The UCF women's tennis team dropped to No. 1 seed SMU in the AAC Conference Championship in a heartbreaking 4-0 decision to bring its tournament run to an end, wrapping up with a second-place finish. After dropping the doubles point, the Knights were unable to pick up steam in singles, dropping three courts within moments of each other.
Doubles got off to a difficult start for the Knights, who were never able to gain a lead on any of the courts. Court two quickly went to the Mustangs (6-0), but the remaining courts went back-and-forth. SMU clinched the doubles point with a 6-3 decision on court three.
Shifting gears into singles, the Knights picked up first sets on courts five and six. Anique Kattenberg continued to be dominant at position six, winning her first set with a 7-6(3) tiebreak. Jaleesa Leslie also had a phenomenal first set, picking up a 6-4 win.
Near the top of the singles ladder, courts two and three went to the Mustangs with two 6-1, 6-2 decisions to put SMU up 3-0 on the match. Court four was also finished shortly after that (6-1, 6-3), to clinch the championship for the Mustangs.
With the Knights ranked currently at No. 37 in the ITA polls and a .500 record, the squad remains eligible for an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. UCF will learn of its postseason fate on May 1, with the release of the Selection Show.
