NOTRE DAME, IND.--- The University of St. Francis women's tennis team recorded a season-high three match wins, but it wasn't enough to defeat Holy Cross College as the hosts took a 4-3 decision Saturday afternoon at the Eck Tennis Center. The loss was also the first setback in Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference play for the Saints. 

Yashleen Kheterpal (SR/Bhilai, India) and Alyssa Larsen (SR/Morris, Ill.) both picked up their first victories of the season in singles action on Saturday with both needing to go an extra session. Kheterpal scored a 7-6 (7-4), 6-4 victory at No.5, while Larsen won 7-6 (10-8), 7-5 at No.6. They were also leading 5-4 at No.3 doubles before that match was stopped because of Holy Cross' wins in the two other doubles matches.  
 

Denisse Lizano (SO/Quito, Ecuador) opened singles action with her first victory of the season, as well. She earned a 6-0, 6-1 win over Clara Ruediger in the No.3 slot. That win combined with the decisions for Kheterpal and Larsen tied the contest at three-all. 
 

The final match to finish was the showdown between Nikki Christiansen (JR/Rockford, Ill.) and Jabeen Urbanek at No.2 singles. Urbanek took Set 1 in a 7-6 tiebreaker (7-2), but Christiansen returned fire with a 6-3 Set 2 victory. The match came down to the final set, which Urbanek won 6-3 to give Holy Cross the 4-3 team victory. 
 

The Saints (0-4, 0-1 CCAC) return to action next Saturday (March 27) when they travel to Davenport, Iowa to take on St. Ambrose University. The CCAC match is scheduled to begin at 5 pm.