NACOGDOCHES, Texas - To say the Trojans tennis match against the Ladyjack was close would be quite the understatement.

Two tiebreakers went against UALR (11-8) in doubles action and Stephen F. Austin (8-7) achieved a split in singles play thanks to a three-set win as the Trojans fell 4-3 on Tuesday afternoon (March 19).

It was quite the turnaround from last season as UALR lost to SFA in 2012, 7-0.

Down 2-0, senior Veronique Luksich and junior Viktoriya Plyuta squared the match with a pair  of straight-set victories. At first singles, Luksich defeated Malena Gordo 7-6 (6), 6-3. Plyuta beat Margot de Haan at third singles, 6-4, 7-5.

Freshman Kamilla Galieva closed the match with a 6-0, 3-6, 4-1 retired win over Kateryna Bugayenko at fourth singles.

To kick off the day, Stephen F. Austin captured the doubles point by the slimest of margins. Sophomore Michaela McShane and Luksich for UALR dispatched the team of de Haan and Bugayenko at second doubles, 8-5.

However, the Ladyjack answered with a pair of tie-breaking wins. Senior Yana Kakovkina and Plyuta fell 9-8 (7) to Gordo and Julia Lorca at first doubles. Sophomore Dané Vorster and Galieva lost a heartbreaker 9-8 (5) to Valeria Terentyeva and Laura Servise at third doubles.

In other singles action, Kakovkina fell to Julia Lorca at second singles 6-3, 7-6 (4). Vorster lost to Terentyeva at fifth singles by identical 6-4 scores. Freshman Christel Amsallem and Servise split the first two sets by identical 6-4 scores at sixth singles, but Servise captured the deciding frame 6-4.

UALR returns to action tomorrow when it travels to Houston for its final regular season road match of the season. Doubles play is set to begin at 11 a.m.