Atlanta, Ga.---It was the heart of champions that withstood a grueling five and a half hour competition, but it was the agony of defeat that lingered in the end as Clark Atlanta University women's tennis team stumbled in its quest to defend its title. The fourth-seeded Lady Panthers dropped a 5-3 decision to the fifth-seeded Lady Tigers of Stillman College in the first round of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships at the McGhee Tennis Center today.

Plaqued with the loss of first team All-Conference player Keva Palmer, due to a season-ending injury late in the season, the Lady Panthers still had a ray of hope to advance to the next round.

"I asked them not to give up, and they did not," said Head Coach Autumn Williams. "It was a battle to the end."

In doubles play, the No. 3 tandem of Ivory Conley and Cydney Reid dismantled Stillman's Eartha Blount and Jade Thornton, 8-6, which put CAU on the board first with a 1-0 lead. With losses at the No. 1 and No. 2 doubles positions, Clark Atlanta faced a 2-1 deficit going into singles play. Junior Kasey Dawson's 6-0, 6-4 victory against Valentima Kecman tied the match count at two, but Stillman quickly gained back a two match advantage with a 6-3, 6-4 and 6-4, 6-0 win at the No. 3 and No. 1 positions, respectively.  

Freshman Vanessa Jean-Baptiste pulled CAU within one match of the lead with a thrilling 7-5, 7-6 win at the No. 2 position over Rosana Mederios. With a 4-3 lead, Stillman's No. 5 player Jade Thornton topped newcomer Tamra Grigsby 7-6, 6-3 to seal the match.

"I am very proud of my players because they stayed strong, but the other team was just better today," Williams said. "We are a young bunch, and we will regroup, refocus and come back better next year."

The Lady Panthers finished the season 11-18 overall and 7-7 in the conference.

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RESULTS- Stillman d. Clark Atlanta 5-3
Doubles
Elizabeth Perez/Whiney Horner d. Brionne Bachus/Vanessa Jean-Baptiste- SC 8-5
Valentima Kecman/Rosana Mederios d. Kasey Dawson and Tamra Grigsby - SC  8-3
Ivory Conley/Cydney Reid d. Eartha Blount/Jade Thornton - CAU 8-6

SINGLES
Perez d. Bachus 6-4, 6-0
Jean-Baptiste d. Mederios 7-5, 7-6 (7-0)
Horner d. Conley    6-3, 6-4
Dawson d. Kecman 6-0, 6-4
Thornton d. Grigsby 7-6 (13-11), 6-3
Blount v. Reid (DNF)