BELTON, Texas – Coming down to Flight no. 4 in singles, no. 3 seed East Texas Baptist University upset no. 2 seed Hardin-Simmons University, 4-3, advancing to the American Southwest Conference Tournament Championship match.
Fernanda Ruiz Burkart earned the win in three sets by winning the tiebreaker in set two and holding on to win set three, 0-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-2. ETBU is now 7-6 and will play in the program's fourth ASC Tournament Championship, winning in 2017.
"Today was giving me a little PTSD from our men's match from last week against UMHB in the ASC Tournament. Our women's team fought hard in doubles, losing a tight tiebreaker, but was not downtrodden after that, which was a very positive sign for me," said head coach
Drew Lambert. "The team then went out on all courts ready to fight back as they competed well and believed all the way through, coming up with the big victory."
ETBU's
Monique Ybarra and
Bailey Smith took the early momentum in doubles no. 1 with a 6-1 over Taylor Levy and Sydney Tomlin.
Jayde Childress and
Fernanda Ruiz Burkart fell in a tiebreaker at the no. 2 flight, 7-6 (1-7). Kirstyn Dunn and
Bailey Smith lost in flight no. 3, 6-3, as HSU earned the first point.
HSU's Addyson Tylaska made it 2-0, winning at no. 6 in singles, 6-1, 6-3 over
Isabella Macquet. Smith put ETBU on the board, winning at no. 2, 6-3, 6-3, over Jonnah Smith. Emma Curiel gave HSU their third point, 3-1, at no. 5 over
Kristyn Dunn, 6-3, 6-3.
Ybarra fought back at no. 1 in three sets for ETBU's second point. She defeated Laurel Coleman, 6-4, 4-6, 6-1, to pull ETBU within one, 3-2. Childress then won the no. 3 match, 6-2, 5-7, 6-1, over Tomlin to tie the score at three all. Ruiz Burkart advanced ETBU to the championship as she battled through the no. 4 match in a 0-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-2 win. The crucial point came in the second set as she won the tiebreaker, 7-5, and then ran away with the third set, 6-2, for the victory.
ETBU will face Mary Hardin-Baylor for the ASC Championship on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. in Belton, Texas.
