DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Embry-Riddle women's tennis team was unable to overcome a slow start in doubles, falling to Tampa 6-3, Saturday at the Crotty Tennis Complex. The Eagles are now 1-6 overall, while the Spartans remain perfect at 2-0.
 
The first point of the day went to the Spartans when Liley Nice and Maddie Stephens won the match-up at No. 2 doubles, 8-0, over Maria Turrillo and Georgina Wood. On court one, Maud Mrad and Alexis Marshall fell behind a break, but bounced back to go ahead of Caroline Lozo and Emily Hewland, and rolled through the next four games to win 8-3.
 
Tampa moved back in front, however, when Ava Sowell and Danielle Beyes topped Kathryn Bock and Ana Gonzalez-Hoy to give the Spartans a 2-1 lead.
 
Moving up in the lineup for the first time this season, Turrillo made quick work of Hewland, dispatching the Spartans' No. 2 player 6-0, 6-0, but the Spartans were able to break the 2-2 deadlock with Sowell's 6-0, 6-1 win over Gonzalez-Hoy at the fifth position.
 
At the top spot, Mrad battled Lozo to a 6-4 win in the first set and pulled the Eagles' level once again with an easy 6-0 victory in the second.
 
The last three matches off the court all went to Tampa as Nice bested Marshal 6-4, 6-3 at No. 3 singles, Beyes topped Lydia Carter 6-3, 6-0 on court six, and Sowell held off Bock 6-1, 3-6, 6-2 at the fourth position.
 
The Eagles' next match will be at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday when they host Flagler at the Crotty Tennis Complex.