MARSHALL, Texas – The Celts of the University of St. Thomas played their first dual women's tennis match in program history Saturday as they fought hard in a 7-2 setback to East Texas Baptist.

Ana Maria Gonzalez (FR/Houston, Texas) was the first St. Thomas women's tennis player to record a victory, as she defeated Ashley Schenck 6-1, 6-1 in flight two singles play. A little while later, Alyssa Davila (FR/Spring, Texas) also claimed victory in flight three for the Celts, defeating Cassidy Wilcoxson 7-6 (7-4), 6-2.

UST's Alejandra Lopez (FR/San Juan, Puerto Rico) (flight one) and Callighan Ard (FR/League City, Texas) (flight five) took their singles matches into a third set. Lopez fell to Elisa Kendall 3-6, 6-3, 7-5, while Ard lost to Corrine Hall 6-4, 5-7, 10-2.

In doubles play, the top two UST pairings forced their ETBU counterparts to the distance. In flight one, Lopez and Gonzalez fell 8-6 to Kendall and Schenck; Ard and Atilla dropped their flight two match to Wilcoxson and Maddi Davis by an 8-6 scoreline.

The Celts return to action Saturday, Feb. 1, when they host Southwestern (Texas) at Houston's Memorial Park. First serves are scheduled for 3 p.m.