AUSTIN, Texas – The Concordia Texas women's tennis team fell 5-4 against Howard Payne Friday in a hard-fought battle at River Place Country Club.

The Tornados (1-7, 0-2 ASC West) took a 2-1 lead after three hard-fought doubles matches.

The Yellow Jackets (5-7, 1-1) took line one doubles 8-6, but CTX continued to fight all the way through the remaining doubles, taking them 9-7 and 9-8 respectively.

The Tornados jumped to a 4-1 lead with wins from Giselle Dall'Orso and Alexis Popovich but HPU wouldn't go away storming back to a 5-4 win.

Leyla Martinez and Cassedy Crawford forced tiebreakers at the top two lines, but both fell short. Dall'Orso was the only Concordia player to go 2-0 on the day.

The Tornados return to action Sunday at 3 p.m. against UT Dallas at Austin Tennis Center.

Howard Payne 5, Concordia Texas 4

Singles competition
1. Brittony Walker (HPUW) def. Leyla Martinez (CTXW) 1-6, 6-3, 7-6 (10-3)
2. Alex Marlin (HPUW) def. Cassedy Crawford (CTXW) 6-2, 6-7 (7-10), 7-6 (10-4)
3. Giselle Dall'Orso (CTXW) def. Erin McClear (HPUW) 6-2, 6-2
4. Alexis Popovich (CTXW) def. Breanna Hunt (HPUW) 7-6 (10-3), 6-0
5. Callie Molloy (HPUW) def. Genesis Carreon (CTXW) 6-2, 6-3
6. Devin Mendelson (HPUW) def. Rean Vanderbilt (CTXW) 7-5, 6-4

Doubles competition
1. Erin McClear/Alex Marlin (HPUW) def. Alexis Popovich/Cassedy Crawford (CTXW) 8-6
2. Rean Vanderbilt/Leyla Martinez (CTXW) def. Brittony Walker/Callie Molloy (HPUW) 9-7
3. Genesis Carreon/Giselle Dall'Orso (CTXW) def. Breanna Hunt/Devin Mendelson (HPUW) 9-8 (10-2)

Match Notes
Howard Payne 5-7, 1-1
Concordia Texas 1-7, 0-2
First ASC home match since return of tennis
Start of match pushed back 1 hour due to rain earlier in the day
T-4:00 A-25