Women's tennis nipped by Webster in SLIAC tournament championship

ST. LOUIS, Mo. - The women's tennis team concluded their 2021 season with a second place finish at the SLIAC tournament. The Panthers lost the championship match 5-4 against Webster after taking the semifinals 5-0 over Principia.

In the Friday afternoon final, the Panthers took the lead after doubles with two wins. The No. 1 duo of Mireia Birosta and Addison Brannon captured an 8-6 win, and the No. 2 pairing of Shaling Reynolds and Claudia Principal won 8-1.

In singles competition, Webster won three of the first four matches to finish, and Greenville's No. 2 Brannon gained a decisive 6-1, 6-1 win.

The No. 1 and No. 6 singles matches were the last to conclude. Greenville pulled even with Webster at 4-4 following No. 6 Samantha Siefken's 1-6, 6-1, 7-5 three-set victory.

With all eyes watching the No. 1 competition, Birosta dropped the third set 6-4 after winning set one decisively at 6-1 and falling in a 7-6 second set tiebreaker.

Greenville advanced to the final with a 5-0 victory over Principia in the semifinal on Friday morning. Greenville won all three flights of doubles 8-2. Greenville's teams were No. 1 Birosta and Brannon, No. 2 Reynolds and Principal, and No. 3 Siefken and Noelle Beans.

Greenville completed the match after No. 2 Brannon was a 6-0, 6-1 winner and No. 4 Principal gained a 6-0, 6-0 triumph.

The Panthers ended the spring with a mark of 9-4.