HUNTSVILLE – Lamar combined earning the doubles point with three singles victories to earn at 4-3 women's tennis dual match victory over Sam Houston on Saturday at the McAdams Tennis Center.
Paula Cerda, Aaliyah Hohmann and Linn Svaerd posted the Bearkats' three points with singles victories. Cerda defeated Leah Kuruvilla 6-1, 6-3 in the number one singles. Hohmann went three sets for a come-from-behind 4-6 6-4 6-3 win at the number four position versus Elena Rubio. Svaerd picked up a 6-3 6-3 straight sets victory over Martina Alcaino at number six.
Megan Do and Leah Kuruvilla and Marika Mueller and Jayci Wong won at the number one and three spots to pick up the doubles point. Do and Kuruvilla defeated Sam Houston's Vianne Schwab and Roberta Sechi 6-3 in the top spot and Marika Mueller and Jayci Wong combined for a 6-4 victory in the number three set.
The number two doubles matching Elena Rubio and Natalia Turczuk of Lamar and India Fenieys and Sahithi Vutukuru from Sam Houston was stopped with the Cardinals up 5-4 when the doubles point was clinched.
The Cardinals earned the victory by taking three singles matches. Marika Mueller defeated Sahithi Vutukuru 6-3 6-2 at the number two spot. Megan Do picked up a 7-6 6-1 win versus India Fenieys in the number three contest. The team victory was clinched when Natalia Turczuk bounced back from a first set loss to rally for a 4-6 6-3 6-4 victory in the number five singles.
Friday's match marked the 41st women's tennis meeting between Sam Houston and Lamar. The two programs dueled annually from 1988 to 2021 as members of the Southland Conference.
The Bearkat women return to action on Sunday as they travel to Nacogdoches to face another long time rival as the face Stephen F. Austin. The Kats and the Lumberjacks are dueling for the 42nd time in the two program's history.
Lamar 4, Sam Houston 3
Singles competition
1. Paula Cerda (SHSU) def. Leah Kuruvilla (LAMAR) 6-1, 6-3
2. Marika Mueller (LAMAR) def. Sahithi Vutukuru (SHSU) 6-3, 6-2
3. Megan Do (LAMAR) def. India Fenieys (SHSU) 7-6 (7-4), 6-1
4. Aaliyah Hohmann (SHSU) def. Elena Rubio (LAMAR) 4-6, 6-4, 6-3
5. Natalia Turczuk (LAMAR) def. Roberta Sechi (SHSU) 4-6, 6-3, 6-4
6. Linn Svaerd (SHSU) def. Martina Alcaino (LAMAR) 6-3, 6-3
Doubles point
1. Megan Do/Leah Kuruvilla (LAMAR) def. Vianne Schwab/Roberta Sechi (SHSU) 6-3
2. Elena Rubio/Natalia Turczuk (LAMAR) vs. India Fenieys/Sahithi Vutukuru (SHSU) 5-4 unfinished
3. Marika Mueller/Jayci Wong (LAMAR) def. Paula Cerda/Linn Svaerd (SHSU) 6-4
Season Records: Lamar 5-3 Sam Houston 3-4