ULM tennis added on to its losing streak, this time in a home match against UL-Lafayette. 

The Warhawks (2-12; 0-3) continued into the Sun Belt Conference with their home matchup against their in-state rival, the Ragin Cajuns (6-5; 1-2). ULM began conference play 0-2 with a 6-1 loss versus Marshall and a 4-0 loss against Appalachian State. The Warhawks took the win in last year’s matchup 4-3 in Lafayette.

During the double stages, ULM’s Alice Klinteby and Giovanna Pereira defeated ULL’s Lucie Raquin and Cristina Tchanichev 6-1 to take the first match. But it was downhill from there, as Carla Urchoeguia and Angelique Berrat took down Alessandra Anghel and Angela Suarez 6-3, tying the scores. Angel Santiago and Momoko Yoshimura defeated Oleksandra Balaba and Mariam Hatem, giving ULL a 1-0 lead into the singles. 

In the single stages, ULM tied the score at 1-1 after Anghel beat Urchoeguia 6-1 and 6-2. The Ragin Cajuns went up 2-1 after Yoshimura defeated Giovanna Pereira 6-2 and 6-3. The Ragin Cajuns increased their lead to 3-1 after Tchanichev defeated Suarez 6-1 and 6-4. 

The Warhawks brought the score up 3-2 after Klinteby defeated Berrat 4-6, 6-4 and 6-4. ULL secured its victory after Santiago defeated Hatem 7-6, (7-4) and 7-5. Raquin defeated Balaba 6-7, (5-7), 6-0 and 6-2 in the seventh match, and the Warhawks lost 5-2.

“When we had deciding moments, the other team played better,” head coach Ivone Alvaro said. “We need to step up and play to win, and they did that better.” 

ULM’s defeat against ULL brings its losing streak to six games. The Warhawks haven’t been able to secure a win since their matchup against Stephen F. Austin in February. The loss also brings the record against in-state opponents to 0-9.

The Warhawks will head back on the road when they travel to another struggling team, Arkansas State, next Saturday in Jonesboro, Arkansas. The match will take place March 25 at 12 p.m.