WICHITA - Ashley Dunham won a three-set thriller in the final match of the night, and fueled the Newman women's tennis team to a 5-4 win over in-state rival Fort Hays State Friday afternoon at Riverside Tennis Center. The win gives the Jets a season sweep over the Tigers.

The Tigers took the early advantage in doubles play. Newman's No. 1 doubles duo of Laryssa Ferreira and Emily Gerber teamed to defeat the FHSU No. 1 offering of Kelsey Bigando and Melissa Skovira, 8-4, but the Tigers rallied for wins in the No. 2 and No. 3 matches to take a 2-1 lead going into the singles competition.

Playing her first match as Newman's first-ever regionally-ranked player, Laryssa Ferreira wasted little time picking up a 6-1, 6-1 win over FHSU's Laura Johnson, tying the match at 2-2. The Tigers picked up wins on the No. 2 and No. 3 singles courts, taking a 4-2 lead, and putting the pressure on the lower players in coach Shella Augspurger's line-up. In the No. 4 match, Christa Lawlor earned a 6-2, 6-3 win over FHSU's Brianna Watkins, and brought the Jets to within one win of tying the dual. The No. 5 match did just that, as Emily Gerber defeated Krista Lindsey in a 6-2, 6-0 straight-set decision, and putting all eyes on the No. 6 court, where Ashley Dunham was taking on FHSU's Kayla Jarvis.

Dunham took the upper hand, winning the first game 6-1. Keeping things interesting, Jarvis answered with a 6-4 win in the second game, and sent the match into the decisive third set. That's where Dunham was able to hold off Jarvis for a 6-4 win that gave the Jets the 5-4 final margin.

Newman is back in action Sunday, traveling to Kansas City to take on the Johnson County Cavaliers.

Newman 5, Fort Hays State 4
Singles
1. Laryssa Ferreira (NU) def. Laura Johnson (FHSU) 6-1, 6-1
2. Melissa Skovira (FHSU) def. Gabriela Balarin (NU), 6-1, 6-4
3. Kelsey Bigando (FHSU) def. Emily Jones (NU), 6-4, 6-4
4. Christa Lawlor (NU) def. Brianna Watkins (FHSU), 6-2, 6-3
5. Emily Gerber (NU) def. Krista Lindsey (FHSU), 6-2, 6-0
6. Ashley Dunham (NU) def. Kayla Jarvis (FHSU), 6-1, 4-6, 6-4

Doubles
1. Ferreira/E. Gerber (NU) def. Bigando/Skovira (FHSU), 8-4
2. Johnson/Lindsey (FHSU) def. Balarin/Lawlor (NU), 8-6
3. Jarvis/Watkins (FHSU) def. Jones/Dunham (NU), 8-4