KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan women's tennis team fell in a heart-breaker, 4-3, to Ball State at West Hills Athletic Club on Friday afternoon.
 
With the match all tied up at 3-3 the decision came down to No. 3 singles Karin Hamilton versus Amy Kaplan. Kaplan opened the match with a 6-2 win in the first set but Hamilton bounced back with a 6-4 win in the second to force the third set. Kaplan jumped out to a 4-1 lead but Hamilton battled back to tie it at 4-4, then 5-5 and finally 6-6 to force the tie-breaker. Kaplan took the tie-breaker set 7-4, claiming the match for the Cardinals.
 
The Broncos (11-10, 3-5 MAC) started off strong by taking the doubles point. Lindsey Zieglar and Hamilton gave WMU the early advantage with a 6-2 win at No. 2. Ball State responded with a win at No. 1 and the point all came down to the No. 3 match of Femke Tjon-A-Joe and Taylor Smith against Emily Desai and Mariya Polischuk. The pairs battled to a 6-6 tie before Tjon-A-Joe and Smith took the tie-breaker set 7-4 to give Western Michigan the early 1-0 lead.
 
Ana Guadiana and pushed the lead to 2-0 with a quick 6-0, 6-2 win over Jessica Braun at No. 2. The Cardinals got on the board with a win at No. 4 by Hannah Davies before Tjon-A-Joe pushed it to 3-1 with a 6-2, 6-3 win at No. 5.
 
The Broncos are back in action on Saturday at West Hills Athletic Club, hosting Kalamazoo College at 12 p.m. Prior to the start of the match WMU will honor its five-member senior class.