MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The 58th ranked Wichita State women's tennis team dropped a neutral site match to the UAB Blazers on Saturday afternoon at Leftwich Tennis Center, 4-2.
 
After winning five matches in a row, the Shockers (10-6) have now lost back-to-back, while UAB (12-9) notches their fourth win in their last five matches.
 
"It was just a tough day," Head Coach Colin Foster said. "We played too inconsistent in a lot of areas and UAB really did well to capitalize on those opportunities."
 
Doubles was very competitive, but the Shockers were able to notch the opening point with wins at courts two and three. At court two, Natsumi Kurahashi and Xin Tong Wang won the final three games of their match to take the opening win, 6-3. 
 
Anne Knuettel and Theodora Chantava took a huge 5-0 early lead at court three, but the UAB pair won four games in a row to turn up the heat on the Shockers, but the Black and Yellow duo won game ten to ink out the doubles point win for the Shockers.
 
"Doubles was great energy and we played well," said Foster. "Theodora in particular continues to play with great confidence."
 
Singles was a different story, as the Shockers fell behind early to the Blazers after Knuettel and Kristina Kudryavtseva fell quickly in straight sets at courts four and five.
 
Later, Kurahashi would go on to lose at the top singles court 6-4, 6-3, to give UAB a 3-1 edge and put all the pressure on the three remaining Shockers.
 
Chantava would collect her team leading tenth singles win of the season with a 6-4, 6-4 win at court three to keep the Shockers in the fight.
 
The comeback would ultimately fall short for the Shockers as UAB's Adela Wasserbauerova would defeat WSU's Wang in three sets, 3-6, 7-5, 6-1, to clinch and end the match for UAB.
 
"The fight was there for us, we just didn't execute at the level that we're capable of," said Foster. 
 
The Shockers play No. 46 Memphis tomorrow at 10:00 AM at Leftwich Tennis Center in Memphis.