Box Score

DALLAS (SMU) – The No. 43 SMU women's tennis team pulled off a 4-3 victory against No 55 Rice on Saturday, claiming its second win over the Owls this spring.

Graduate senior Nicole Petchey proved to be the difference on court five for the Mustangs, taking the match-clinching point in back-to-back matches. Petchey fell 7-5 in the first set against Rice's Anna Bowtell, and took the second 6-1 to force the deciding set. With the team match tied at 3-3 and facing defeat down 5-2, Petchey won four-straight games, before Bowtell forced a tiebreaker at 6-6.

In the tiebreak, With Bowtell leading 4-3, Petchey again went on a run, taking four-straight points, completing her comeback and clinching the 4-3 win for the Mustangs. The win marks her fourth match-clinching victory for SMU this spring, having done so against Mississippi State, VCU, and TCU.

On line three, Jackie Nylander claimed her third-consecutive win, defeating Anastasia Smirnova 6-2, 6-4 and notching her ninth win of the spring season. Nylander has won seven of her last eight singles contests, seven of which were straight-set wins.

Junior Hadley Doyle dispatched of Rice's Federika Trevisan, 6-3, 7-5. A 4-1 lead for Doyle was erased by Trevisan with three-straight game wins, before Doyle claimed the final two games on the way to a straight-set victory. Doyle has won four of her last five completed contests, all four of which have been against opponents of top-60-ranked teams.

Lexi Keberle defeated Victoria Smirnova in three sets on court one, improving to 12-4 through dual play. After taking a one-set lead with a 6-3 win, Smirnova would not find another lead throughout the day, with Keberle claiming 6-4 and 6-2 wins to take the match.

In doubles competition, Keberle/Lana Mavor improved to 8-3 with a 6-4 win against Anastasia Smirnova/Allison Zipoli. The duo has won four-straight contests, and eight of their last nine completed doubles matches.

The Mustangs (13-8) close regular season competition on Monday, hosting No. 56 Memphis at 10 a.m. at the Styslinger/Altec Tennis Complex.

No. 43 Mustangs Close Regular Season Hosting No. 55 Rice, No. 56 Memphis