RICHARDSON, TX (03.21.21) - The UT Dallas women's tennis team nearly pulled off a key regional victory Sunday before falling to non-conference foe Trinity, 5-4, at the UTD Tennis Courts.

After taking a 2-1 lead in doubles, the Comets led Trinity 4-3 with two singles matches left on the court. Both remaining singles matches went to a third set with the deciding contest going to a tie-break before the Tigers picked up the victory.

The top-flighted doubles tandem of Kathy Joseph and Samantha Wong took an 8-4 decision over TU's Catherine Cushing/Megan Flores for the first point of the match. Stephanie Joseph and Svaksha Iyengar would close doubles with a win at No. 3 to lift the Comets to a 2-1 advantage.

The Tigers opened singles play with a win at No. 4 to even the match, but Kathy Joseph and Wong quickly dispatched their opponents at No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, to give UTD a 4-2 cushion. Joseph handled Zoe Kaffen, 6-4, 6-1, and Wong downed Flores, 6-2, 6-3.

Trinity answered with a straight-set win at No. 6, however, to claw back within a point. Suzuka Nishino battled with Cushing at No. 3 singles, fighting back for a 6-4 win in the second set after dropping the first set, 6-2.But Cushing evened the match with a 6-4 win in the third set.

The final point of the match came at No. 5 singles where Stephanie Joseph and TU's Elodie Richard battled to a third-set tie-break. Richard claimed the first set, 6-1, before Joseph rallied for a 6-4 win in the second set. Richard would hold off Joseph, 7-6 (7-5), in the third set to end the dual.

The Comets (4-3) return to action Saturday, Mar. 27, with an American Southwest Conference East Division home match against East Texas Baptist.