LUBBOCK, Texas (April 9, 2026) – Lubbock Christian University secured a tightly contested 4-3 Lone Star Conference victory over St. Mary's Thursday at the Penny Gullo Tennis Center, improving to 11-5 overall and 4-2 in conference play while remaining unbeaten at home (4-0).
The Lady Chaps were forced to battle from behind early, as St. Mary's claimed the doubles point by taking courts No. 2 and No. 3. The Rattlers struck first with a 6-3 win at No. 2, and clinched the point at No. 3 in a tight tiebreak decision. LCU's lone doubles victory came from its nationally ranked No. 3 tandem of
Andrea De Bernardo and
AnaMaria Zoric, who defeated St. Mary's No. 37-ranked duo of Gia Posito and Alessia Terlizzi 6-4 at No. 1 doubles, extending their team-leading success as a pairing.
In singles play, St. Mary's extended its lead to 2-0 with the first completed match, as Selina Wu defeated No. 75-ranked Zoric in straight sets at No. 2. LCU quickly responded at the bottom of the lineup, where
Aitanna Moreno Villa earned a dominant 6-1, 6-2 victory at No. 6 to cut the deficit in half. The dual continued to swing as
Kristel Jativa delivered a key three-set comeback at No. 4, rallying for a 5-7, 6-4, 7-6 (7-2) win to even the match at 2-2.
Andrea De Bernardo then pushed the Lady Chaps in front for the first time, winning a hard-fought three-set battle at No. 1 (7-5, 6-7 [5-7], 6-1) to make it 3-2 after four matches had concluded.
With the dual tightening,
Oshini Herath delivered the clinching point for LCU in the fifth match off court, outlasting Isabella Olsson in a dramatic three-set contest at No. 3, 6-7 (5-7), 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (8-6), to secure the team victory. St. Mary's added the final point at No. 5 singles in a three-set decision to account for the 4-3 final margin.
LCU's ability to win the tight matches proved decisive, as three of their four singles victories came in three sets. De Bernardo and Zoric continued to lead in doubles, improving to 14-2 overall (13-1 in duals) with their fourth consecutive win together, while Jativa's comeback at No. 4 singles gave her a team-co-leading 17th win of the season, matching Zoric for the team lead. Herath's clinching effort and Moreno Villa's straight-set win at No. 6 were equally critical in securing the comeback victory. LCU improved to 2-3 all-time against the Rattlers, moving to 2-1 all-time against them in Lubbock.
With the win, LCU not only maintained its perfect home record but also gained momentum in Lone Star Conference play. The Lady Chaps will return to the road April 17 for a conference matchup in Alpine, Texas against Sul Ross State.
