SPARKILL, NY – Returning to “The Dome” after a two-match hiatus, the St. Thomas Aquinas Lady Spartan tennis team dropped a tough non-conference matchup to East Region #8 Post University, 5-4. 

The thrilling match last over four-and-a-half hours and came down to the third set of the final matchup at #3 singles.  Tied at 4-4 in the match and 4-4 in the third set with her opponent, freshman Katarina Lopez ’20  (New City, NY) was bested by the slimmest of margins for the decisive match point.  

The Spartans started off hot, as they took two of three doubles points to grab a 2-1 lead to head into singles play.  Bianca Signore ’17 (Staten Island, NY) and Sara O’Brien ’18 (Orangeburg, NY) won 8-4 at first doubles, while Lopez and Nyenyeri Kanefu ’18 (Rutherford, NJ) won at second doubles, 9-7.  O’Brien won the third point for the Spartans at fourth singles, 6-4, 7-5. 

Post won the next three points, and was up in fifth singles until Raven DeLeon battled back from a 3-0 deficit in the first set to best her opponent 7-5, 6-0.  From then on all eyes were focused on Lopez and her opponent for the final point, who overcame a 6-4 first set loss to force a third set.

The loss drops the Spartans to 1-3 on the season, with their next match at home on Friday, September 16th against the #2 team in the East Region, Queens College.  First serve is set for 3:00 PM, weather permitting.