CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky. – Laure Razet didn't lose a game in singles or doubles and Nel Van Hout put together an impressive comeback victory in singles, but the Milwaukee women's tennis team could not quite pull off the victory in falling 4-3 to Northern Kentucky.
 
The Panthers (7-11, 2-2 Horizon League) fought to the end but dropped the tough decision to the Norse (3-11, 1-4 Horizon League) Friday evening from Five Seasons Sports Club.
 
"I am proud of the team for how hard we fought," head coach Mark Goldin said. "Northern Kentucky played a great match. It wasn't our best tennis, but we fought to the last point."
 
Razet and Van Hout breezed through No. 2 doubles, 6-0, to start the match and Razet followed that up with a 6-0, 6-0 victory at No. 5 singles to post the impressive overall performance.
 
NKU ended up earning the decisive doubles point to open play, coming out on top at No. 3 by a score of 6-2 and then outlasting the Panthers at No. 1 to grab the team point.
 
"The whole match was a battle," Goldin said. "We had a match point to win doubles at No. 1 but were unable to close it out."
 
The decisive match saw Nadiia Konieva and Sara Simonova drop a heartbreaker, 7-6 (12-10).
 
In singles action, it was back and forth the rest of the evening. Razet evened the match with her shutout decision and MKE surged ahead, 2-1, when Konieva topped Darya Gneidina, 6-2, 6-1, at No. 2.
 
The Norse then responded with victories at No. 4 and No. 6 to surge back ahead, 3-2. Van Hout brought the match back to a deadlock with her effort, coming back after down 5-7, 3-5, to save two match points before earning the win at No. 1 over Sydney Zakic 7-5, 5-7, 6-2.
 
Northern Kentucky then pulled out the tight 4-3 decision with a three-set win at No. 3 singles to close the evening.
 
Up next, the Panthers will wrap up their regular-season schedule tomorrow against IU Indy, set for an 11:30 a.m. CT start against the Jaguars. The team can still finish anywhere from first (a tie is still possible) to fourth place in the final standings with just one match remaining.
 
Northern Kentucky 4, Milwaukee 3
Singles competition
1. Nel Van Hout (MKE) def. Sydney Zakic (NKU) 7-5, 5-7, 6-2
2. Nadiia Konieva (MKE) def. Darya Gneidina (NKU) 6-2, 6-1
3. Alyssa Cameron (NKU) def. Sara Simonova (MKE) 7-5, 1-6, 6-2
4. Haley Slay (NKU) def. Nikola Nikolajeva (MKE) 6-4, 6-3
5. Laure Razet (MKE) def. Cassia Adamowsky (NKU) 6-0, 6-0
6. Catharina Cardosa (NKU) def. Honoka Yamashita (MKE) 6-3, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. Alyssa Cameron/Sydney Zakic (NKU) def. Sara Simonova/Nadiia Konieva (MKE) 7-6 (12-10)
2. Laure Razet/Nel Van Hout (MKE) def. Catharina Cardosa/Darya Gneidina (NKU) 6-0
3. Haley Slay/Cassia Adamowsky (NKU) def. Elisa Rubio/Honoka Yamashita (MKE) 6-2