Spartans Unable to Handle #15 Barry

TAMPA, Fla. - The 27th-ranked University of Tampa tennis team stayed close in the matches, but came up short in a 7-2 loss to 15th-ranked Barry University in a Sunshine State Conference meeting. The Spartans drop to 11-6 on the season and 1-4 in league play while the Buccaneers moves to 5-2 and 3-1 in SSC action.

Tampa lost all three doubles matches, though each went down to the wire. The number one team of Kourtney Stark and Jamie Lieberman fell 8-5 while the Spartan two team of Allison Beck and Jessica Faber forced a tie break before losing 9-8. The three team of Caitlin Scudder and Claire Darling also could have gone either way, though Barry squeaked out an 8-6 win.

In singles, Tampa got wins from Jamie Lieberman and Allison Beck at the number four and five spots. Beck came through in the clutch as her and Barry's Sakia Kruse won a set apiece via the tiebreak. Beck then earned a 11-9 third set tiebreak to win the match.

The Spartans take some time off before hosting St. Olaf on Monday, March 26 at 3 p.m.