Senior Eliana Hanna returns a backhand. (Rachel Benitez-Borrego | Staff Photographer).

On April 24, 25, and 26, No. 3 WashU women’s tennis played in the University Athletic Association (UAA) conference tournament in Altamonte Springs, Florida. While the weekend began with control and confidence, the Bears fell to No. 1 University of Chicago — ending their run just shy of the championship title. 

The Bears opened the tournament with authority, sweeping the University of Rochester 4-0 and Emory University 4-1. In the final, WashU looked to continue the pattern early, hoping strong doubles play would set the tone for the rest of the match. However, the Bears’ early lead wasn’t enough to hold off UChicago, as the Maroons flipped multiple courts and closed out the match in straight sets to secure the conference title. 

While WashU is now ranked No. 3 nationally, the conference ultimately dethroned the Bears from their No. 1 seed in the UAA, and it could serve as a setback in momentum heading into the national championship stretch. 

Quarterfinal: WashU vs. Rochester

The Bears opened their UAA championship run with a dominant 4-0 sweep of Rochester, leaning on dominant doubles play to set the tone early. 

At No. 3 doubles, sophomore Sam Slowik and first-year Lily Brecknock struck first. With decisive serves and a controlled tempo throughout the match, the pairing sealed a commanding 6-1 win. Junior Eleanor Archer and sophomore Caitlin Bui echoed that result at No. 1 doubles, clinching the doubles point with another 6-1 performance. 

In singles play, Brecknock and senior Nina Moravek delivered near flawless outings, each surrendering just one game in straight-set victories. Sophomore Ally Lin put in the finishing touch on the morning match, cruising to a 6-0, 6-1 win to seal the Bears’ first tournament victory. 

Semifinal: WashU vs. Emory 

The Bears once again built their foundation in doubles. Archer and Bui delivered a steady 6-3 win at No. 2 doubles, while Brecknock and Slowik added a 6-2 victory to secure the early 1-0 advantage. The No. 1 doubles game was dropped once the doubles point was secured. 

Senior Eliana Hanna kicked off singles play with a strong performance at No. 1, taking down a top-ranked opponent in straight sets. Moravek followed with a gritty win at No. 6, edging a tight opening set 7-5, breaking late after a multiple deuce game, then holding firm in the second set, stretching the Bears lead to 3-0. 

Emory answered with a three-set win of their own, but Archer stepped up to close the match. At No. 2 singles, Archer claimed the opening set 6-4 before dropping a tightly contested second-set tiebreak. In a match-deciding third set, Archer stayed composed in extended rallies and edged the score 10-8, sealing the victory and sending the Bears to the final. 

Final: WashU vs. UChicago 

Two weeks after their previous match, WashU faced UChicago again, this time with a conference title at stake. With the memory of a narrow 4-3 loss still fresh, the Bears entered the match hoping to finish what they couldn’t last time. The two teams are both ranked nationally in the top five, proving how consequential a win would be for either program. 

WashU continued its weekend pattern of fast starts, clinching the double point early on. Slowik and Brecknock delivered a 6-2 win at No. 3 doubles, followed by Archer and Bui with a 6-3 victory at No. 1. At No. 2 doubles, Hanna and Lin were up 5-3 when the point was clinched. 

The match turned for the Bears in singles play, as the Maroons erased their early deficit and steadily took control across the lineup. 

Chicago struck first at No. 3 singles, using a clean, aggressive baseline game to hand the Bears a 6-1, 6-4 loss. From there, the Maroons began to turn the game in their favor one by one. 

Archer fell 6-3, 6-4 at No. 2, followed by a hard-fought three-set loss for senior Amber Edmonds at No. 5 singles. 

At No. 1 singles, Hanna gave WashU its strongest resistance, taking the first set in a tiebreak 7-6 (7-3), but the Maroons responded with a 6-4, 6-4 finish to clinch the UAA championship title. 

Selection for the national championships will begin on Monday, April 28. As the No. 3 seed, the Bears are a likely pick for the tournament and are seeking to defend their title from last year.