WICHITA - A three-match winning streak came to a halt for the Newman women's tennis team, which dropped a 5-4 senior night heartbreaker to Emporia State Wednesday afternoon at Riverside Tennis Center.

Emporia State (15-6) took a 2-1 lead in the match after doubles play. Newman's (13-8) only win came on the No. 2 court, where Courtney Dold and Hillary Hicks cruised to an 8-2 win over ESU's Alex Crowe and Jennfer Gerhardt.

Newman's top two singles players erased that deficit quickly. Hicks opened singles play with a 6-1, 6-0 win over ESU's Taylor Smith on the No. 2 singles court. Kirstie Symon held off a late charge from ESU's Nicole Jara, and gave the Jets a 3-2 lead with a win in straight sets, 6-2, 7-6 (6). The Hornets used back-to-back wins on the No. 4 and No. 3 courts, respectively, to take a 4-3 lead, but Carissa Villaflor countered with a 6-0, 7-5 win over Abby Morris on the No. 5 court.

With the match tied at 4-4, all eyes turned to the No. 6 court, where Newman's only senior, Emily Gerber, was battling ESU's Somer Schmidt. Gerber dropped the first set 6-3, but held a lead in the second set, but Schmidt rallied late to hand Gerber a 7-5 loss in the second-set, and won the match for the visiting Hornets.

With the loss, the Jets drop to 13-8 on the season. They will hit the road en route to Austin, Texas Thursday morning for the Heartland Conference Women's Tennis Championship, which will be hosted by St. Edward's University. Action at the tournament is scheduled to begin Friday.

Emporia State 5, Newman 4
Singles Competition
1. Kirstie Symon (NU) def. Nicole Jara (ESU), 6-2, 7-6 (8-6)
2. Hillary Hicks (NU) def. Taylor Smith (ESU), 6-1, 6-0
3. Tiffany Khounsombath (ESU) def. Jess Brown (NU), 6-4, 5-7, 10-7
4. Alex Crowe (ESU) def. Courtney Dold (NU), 6-4, 6-4
5. Carissa Villaflor (NU) def. Abby Morris (ESU), 6-0, 6-5
6. Somer Schmidt (ESU) def. Emily Gerber (NU), 6-3, 7-5

Doubles Competition
1. Jara/Taylor (ESU) def. Symon/Villaflor (NU), 8-6
2. Dold/Hicks (NU) def. Crowe/Jennifer Gerhardt (ESU), 8-2
3. Morris/Emily Huston (ESU) def. Gerber/Anna Le (NU), 8-6