Sumter, SC – The Lincoln Memorial Women's Tennis team returned to the Palmetto Tennis Center for the second-time this fall, taking on the ITA Southeast Regional tournament over the weekend. 

LMU sent three to compete in Sumter, as Natalia Garcia and Alexandra Ortiz would face tough competition in singles play, while Lucie Palud would team up with Garcia for doubles matches.  

The Railsplitters started early in singles play, as Ortiz began her day with a close win over an opponent from Belmont Abbey. After taking the first set in extras 7-6 with a 7-5 margin in the tiebreaker, her opponent would force a close, decisive third set. Ortiz would fight closely with her opponent, leading to a late breakaway and a 10-8 win to advance to the second round.  

The second round would see Ortiz dominate her opponent from Wingate, taking two sets from the Bulldogs. The match started with a close 6-4 win by Ortiz, which she used to carry momentum into the second set, running away late with a 6-2 victory and earning a berth in the third round of play. 

Ortiz fought hard in round three, taking on the eight-ranked player in the bracket from Columbus State. After a first set loss, Ortiz bounced back to force an all-deciding third set with a resounding 6-2 win. However, Columbus State fought back, ending Oritz's run in a close three-set loss. 

In the doubles bracket, Palud and Garcia would draw the top overall seed in the doubles bracket of the tournament from Lenoir-Rhyne. Despite a hard-fought battle, the top-seeded Bears picked up key late points to down the Splitters duo. 

WOMENS SINGLES FLIGHT A 

Round of 64 

Natalia Garcia def. by G. Sompayrac (Anderson): 2-6, 1-6 

Alexandra Ortiz over M. McCarthy (Belmont Abbey): 7-6 (7-5), 1-6, 10-8 

Round of 32  

Alexandra Ortiz over C. Vallejos (Wingate): 6-4, 6-2 

Round of 16 

Alexandra Ortiz def. by [8] S. Lauretti (Columbus State): 1-6, 6-2, 0-6 

WOMENS DOUBLES 

Round of 32 

Lucie Palud/Natalia Garcia def. by [1] N. Wahlberg/R. Muderrisoglu (Lenoir-Rhyne): 1-8