Lynchburg, Va. -- University of Lynchburg's women's tennis team took the deciding match to a third set but couldn't quite come through Saturday in a hard-fought 5-4 loss to Methodist.

After MU took the first point of the day at No. 2 doubles, Lynchburg's top-flight duo of Christina Harris and Caroline Guill claimed an 8-6 victory.

Methodist (3-4) stormed back from a deficit to win, 8-7, at No. 3 doubles and carry the lead into singles play.

Harris quickly evened the score for Lynchburg (2-1) with a 6-0, 6-0 win at No. 1 singles, but the Monarchs' Valeria Matute bested Guill in straight sets at No. 5.
MU then got a victory at No. 4 singles to push the lead to 4-2, but Lauren Pascadlo kept the Hornets in the match with a three-set victory, 6-2, 2-6, 6-3, at the sixth flight.

Elizabeth Teefey evened the match at 4-4, winning 7-6, 7-6 at No. 2, forcing the match to come down to No. 3 singles.

Methodist's Jill Lawrence secured the match for the Monarchs, erasing an early deficit to earn a 3-6, 6-0, 6-4 win at the flight.

The loss put a stop to Lynchburg's 10-match regular-season win streak.

The Hornets will try to start another win streak Tuesday, March 3 with a trip to St. Mary's (Md.). First serve is scheduled for 2 p.m.

--LYN--