The Webster Univesity women's tennis team ended its regular season with a 5-4 loss to St. Louis Intercollegiate Conference rival Principia Panthers.  The Gorloks, minus starter Jesse Steffens-Willis (JR., St. Louis, MO), still fought hard and almost took the match, coming up just short with four wins late on April 13 at the Webster Groves Tennis Center.
 
In doubles, the Loks were down early on. #1 doubles could not find an effective strategy to combat the solid Principia #1 team. At #2, Brianna Pagan (JR, Washington, MO) filled in for Steffens-Willis, but it was difficult for her and Sara Rice (SO, Mahomet, IL) to gain some momentum together.
 
The only doubles win came at #3. Chelsea Foster (SR, St. Louis, IL) and Stephanie Lass (JR, Lake Villa, IL) have been solid all year, and they continued in this match. They took an early 3-0 lead but struggled with the heat and their opponents for the rest of the match. Knowing they needed a win, they rose to the occasion and pulled it out, 9-7.
 
The challenge came in singles. The Loks needed to win four of the six lines in order to snag a victory. Losses came early at #1 and #6, but Madison Watts (SO, Rogersville, MO) got the first win. Foster at #4 and Lass at #5 also won after long, exhausting matches.
 
Rice at #3 was the final player on court. After losing the first set, she was down 0-5 in the second. Spectacularly, she rallied back and won the next six games. Her opponent tied her at 6-6, and they went to a tiebreaker for the second set. Back and forth they went, but Rice's opponent edged ahead to win the second set and match 7-5 in the tiebreaker. With the loss at #3, the Loks finished at 4-5.
 
"We fought hard considering the change in line up," Head Coach Martha Davis-Goldstein. "I have full confidence in finishing on top next time we meet."
 
"It was a great match!" Foster added. "We stayed patient and played consistent. Our whole season has been preparing us to bring home a conference championship, and we are looking forward to doing just that next week!"
 
The Gorloks end the regular season 4-1 in the SLIAC and 10-8 overall. With the loss, they are the #2 seed in the conference tournament. They will play their first match of the conference tournament on Friday, April 21.  Go Loks!
 
Principia College 5  Webster University 4

Doubles
1. Carney, Caitlin/Cooley, Paige (PC) def. Behrle, Monica/Watts, Madison (WU) 8-2
2. Buchanan, Gracie/DeLoach, Nathalie (PC) def. Pagan, Brianna/Rice, Sara (WU) 8-1
3. Foster, Chelsea/Lass, Stephanie (WU) def. Duke, Brittany/Vu, Anh (PC) 9-7
 
 
Singles
1. Cooley, Paige (PC) def. Behrle, Monica (WU) 6-3, 6-0
2. Watts, Madison (WU) def. Buchanan, Gracie (PC) 6-4, 6-1
3. Carney, Caitlin (PC) def. Rice, Sara (WU) 7-5, 7-6(5)
4. Foster, Chelsea (WU) def. DeLoach, Nathalie (PC) 6-3, 6-1
5. Lass, Stephanie (WU) def. Vu, Anh (PC) 6-1, 6-3
6. Duke, Brittany (PC) def. Pagan, Brianna (WU) 6-0, 6-0