Down three matches to two, Sam Houston State’s Natalie Petaia and Nadia Dubyanskaya rallied to win the number three and five singles and give the Bearkats a 4-3 Southland Conference women’s tennis dual match win over UTSA Friday.

The match, played at the McAdams Courts at Sam Houston, took four hours and 20 minutes as the Bearkats upped their record to 11-5 for the season and 5-3 in league action. UTSA dropped to 7-10 on the year and 2-5 Southland play.

Petaia defeated Micaela Silva 7-6, 2-6, 6-4 at No. 3 and Dubyanskaya won over Irene Gonzalez 7-5 7-5 at No. 5.

Tatyana Postnikova dispatched Kavya Menon 6-1, 6-2 at No. 3 and Olivia Battye won over Vivian Carillo 4-6 6-4 6-1 at No. 6 for the Bearkats’ other two points.

“This was a grueling match on a hot day and the girls all fought hard,” SHSU head coach Jim Giachino said. “The team earned this victory with some tough play.”

Sam Houston plays host to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at 12 noon Saturday in the final home match of the season at McAdams Tennis Center

Tennis Match Results
Sam Houston State 4, UTSA 3
Apr 06, 2012 at Huntsville, Texas

Doubles competition:
1. Isabelle Jonsson/Stefanie Peana (UTSA) def. Nadia Dubyanskaya/Tatyana Postnikova (SHSU) 8-4
2. Vivian Carrillo/Micaela Silva (UTSA) def. Sheridan Currie/Natalie Petaia (SHSU) 8-2
3. Natalie Hand/Kavya Menon (UTSA) def. Imke Jagau/Kayla Stevenson (SHSU) 8-5

Singles competition:
1. Stefanie Peana (UTSA) def. Imke Jagau (SHSU) 6-4, 6-2
2. Isabelle Jonsson (UTSA) def. Sheridan Currie (SHSU) 4-6, 6-1, 6-2
3. Natalie Petaia (SHSU) def. Micaela Silva (UTSA) 7-6, 2-6, 6-4
4. Tatyana Postnikova (SHSU) def. Kavya Menon (UTSA) 6-1, 6-2
5. Nadia Dubyanskaya (SHSU) def. Irene Gonzalez (UTSA) 7-5, 7-5
6. Olivia Battye (SHSU) def. Vivian Carrillo (UTSA) 4-6, 6-4, 6-1