BOCA RATON, Fla. - The Saint Leo University women's tennis team completed its weekend of back-to-back Sunshine State Conference matches on Sunday. The Lions took on the 14th-ranked Lynn Fighting Knights in Boca Raton. Saint Leo battled till the end but the deciding court went the way of the home team as Lynn won 4-3. The Lions fall to 5-8 on the season and 2-3 in SSC play. The Fighting Knights improve to 8-5 overall and 2-3 in conference action.
 
The Lions claimed the early 1-0 lead winning the doubles point. Sophia Johnson and Nicol Novak open the match with a 6-3 win at number three doubles. Candice Bernier and Madelyn Martin claimed the doubles point with a 6-2 win at number two doubles.
 
Allie Fernandini opened singles play with a win at number six singles to put the Lions up 2-0. After Lynn made it a 2-1 match, #42 Deren Ozel put Saint Leo up 3-1 with a two set victory at number one singles. Lynn claimed wins at number four and two singles to tie the match at 3-3. The match came down to the final court. After falling in the first set, Camila Keller rallied to earn a tiebreaker win in the second set to force a deciding third set. In what turned out to be a back-and-forth battle, the Fighting Knights edged out the Lions for a 4-3 win as Keller fell 7-5 in the final set.
 
#14 LYNN 4, #43 SAINT LEO 3
DOUBLES
1. Carla Galmiche/Meadow Garcia (LU) def. Camila Keller/Deren Ozel (SLU); 7-5
2. Candice Bernier/Madelyn Martin (SLU) def. Lea Cakerevic/Kristen Younes (LU); 6-2
3. Sophia Johnson/Nicol Novak (SLU) def. Jessica Franke/Hailey Lizano (LU); 6-3
ORDER OF FINISH: 3, 2, 1
 
SINGLES
1 #42 Deren Ozel (SLU) def. Kristen Younes (LU); 7-6, 6-3
2. Carla Galmiche (LU) def. #51 Candice Bernier (SLU); 7-5, 2-6, 7-5
3. Meadow Garcia (LU) def. Camila Keller (SLU); 6-1, 6(0)-7, 7-5
4. Hailey Lizano (LU) def. Sophia Johnson (SLU); 6-4, 7-6(0)
5. Lea Cakerevic (LU) def. Arianna Bettinelli (SLU); 6-0, 6-1
6. Allie Fernandini (SLU) def. Jessica Franke (LU); 6-3, 6-2
ORDER OF FINISH: 6, 5, 1, 4, 2, 3
 
UP NEXT
Saint Leo returns home to host Rollins on Wednesday, March 25 at 3 p.m.