Western Kentucky’s women’s tennis team lost 4-3 to Austin Peay on Tuesday at the Warren County Tennis Facility at Michael O. Buchanon Park.

The Lady Toppers fall to 4-3 overall and 3-2 at home this season with the defeat.

WKU claimed the doubles point for the fifth time in seven matches. Mia Miranda and Emily Schut improved to 6-1 in doubles play together this season and 2-0 at the No. 1 doubles position. Rachel Hermanova and Sofia Blanco improved to 3-3 in doubles play together this season.

The doubles win for Hermanova and Blanco came against Luca Bohlen and Pauline Bruns, who were ranked 25th nationally in the latest ITA rankings. It is the second victory over a ranked opponent in a match this season for the Lady Toppers. Hermanova defeated 119th-ranked Amelia Gorman from the No. 1 singles position in WKU’s Jan. 31 victory over SIUE.

Blanco’s doubles win was the 41st of her career, which is second all-time in program history. Hermanova’s doubles win was the 19th of her WKU career, which is 12th in program history.

Schut improved to 5-1 in singles play with her win against Austin Peay.

WKU is now 29-15 all-time against Austin Peay.

“I knew it was going to be a close match. We talked about the razor-thin margin. It’s always a tough match with Austin Peay – good program, they compete real well,” WKU coach Greg Davis said in a news release. “We just were in situations where we had trouble finishing today. We were in position and we just couldn’t get that push at the end to get over the finish line. We did get it back to 3-2 and at least gave ourselves an opportunity to win it, but give Austin Peay credit. They had to win the match. I don’t think we gave it to them.

“You go from here and you try to get momentum back. Some big matches coming up in the next eight days, so we go back to practice on Thursday and start working hard to get better and put yourself in a position to finish the match.”

The Lady Toppers are scheduled to play at North Alabama on Saturday. The match is set to begin at 12:30 p.m. CT.

Singles (Order of finish: 6,1,2,5,3,4)

1. Sophia Baranov (APSU) def. Rachel Hermanova (WKU) 6-1, 6-4

2. Denise Torrealba (APSU) def. Sofia Blanco (WKU) 6-3, 6-2

3. Asia Fontana (APSU) def. Mia Miranda (WKU) 7-6 (7-3), 6-1

4. Luca Bohlen (APSU) def. Mariana Zegada (WKU) 1-6, 6-2, 6-2

5. Sunskrithi Damera (WKU) def. Pauline Bruns (APSU) 6-4, 6-2

6. Emily Schut (WKU) def. Elena Thiel (APSU) 6-2, 6-2

Doubles (Order of finish: 2,1)

1. Mia Miranda/Emily Schut (WKU) def. Sophia Baranov/Denise Torrealba (APSU) 6-3

2. Rachel Hermanova/Sofia Blanco (WKU) def. #25 Luca Bohlen/Pauline Bruns (APSU) 6-2

3. Sunskrithi Damera/Mariana Zegada (WKU) vs. Yu-Hua Cheng/Asia Fontana (APSU) 4-4, unfinished