The Prairie View A&M Lady Panther tennis team took the momentum of solid doubles play against Texas-Pan American and rode the wave into clutch singles play to pick up a 4-3 win Friday afternoon at the Prairie View A&M Tennis Complex to pick up the first win in school history against UTPA.

Prairie View A&M won the doubles point after going 2-1 in the matches. The duo of Brittany Harrell and Alejandra Barrera continued their consistent play as the No. 2 team and defeated  Wanda Beguelin and  Dana Nazarova of UTPA 9-7. At the No. 3 spot Christine Ngo Gwodog and Jade Miller dominated in their matches, winning 8-2. Raven Lewis and Lerato Ndlovu lost a heartbreaking tie break 9-8(2) to Malin Andersen and Suncica Strkic.

Gwodog, who won 6-1, 6-3, and Barrera, who won 6-2, 6-3, went into singles play with the same intensity.  Lewis exacted some revenge on UTPA in retaliation for her close double loss. Playing at the No. 2 singles spot, Lewis defeated Nazarova 6-1, 7-5 in an emotional match.

It was a team victory the Lady Panthers needed after going 1-3 in the SWAC Round-up, squeaking in as the final team in the SWAC Championship Tournament.

“We came out fighting,” Lewis said. “With tennis its all mental. So if you have the fight inside you then you will win...This is a good start to get back on track. It's giving us confidence to know that we can win.”

The Prairie View A&M women's tennis team will play host to Southeastern Louisiana on Tuesday, April 10 at 1 p.m. in Prairie View.