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Mallory Aarhus.
Belton, TX – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor women's tennis team watched a big early lead slip away, but the Cru held off a furious U.T.-Dallas comeback with a gritty win at #2 singles and UMHB held on for a 5-4 win over the Comets in the American Southwest Conference Tournament Semifinals Saturday in Belton. The Cru women improve to 13-5 on the spring with the win. The loss ends the season at 8-7 for the Comets.
The Cru swept through doubles to take a 3-0 lead into singles play.
AshLee Bilbo posted a 6-3, 6-1 win at #6 singles to give UMHB a 4-0 lead before the Comets started their comeback. UTD won at #4, #3 and #5 singles to cut the lead to 4-3. Rachel Houston then fought back from an opening set loss to
Megan Aarhus at #1 singles and won in a tiebreaker 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(6) to tie the match and put it all on the shoulders of UMHB's
Mallory Aarhus and UTD's Mindy Tiu at #2 singles.
Mallory Aarhus fought back from an opening set loss and a 6-5 deficit in the third set to send the match to a tiebreaker. She then fought off cramps and exhaustion to win the tiebreaker 7-5 to send the Cru to the championship match.
UMHB will now play for a conference title on its home court against U.T.-Tyler on Sunday. The Cru will play in the conference championship match for the first time since the tournament expanded to six teams. UMHB dropped a 7-2 decision to the Patriots earlier this spring. The championship match will start 30 minutes after the completion of the men's championship match on Sunday. UTD finishes the season with an 8-7 record and the Comets do not have a senior on the roster.
Results
Singles
Rachel Houston (UTD) def.
Megan Aarhus (UMHB) 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(6)
Doubles
Aarhus/Aarhus (UMHB) def. Houston/Tan (UTD) 8-2
Bilbo/Everett (UMHB) def. Gwo/Tiu (UTD) 8-5
Kittel/Richardson (UMHB) def. Aaslestad/Lu (UTD) 8-6
