LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Off a quick turnaround, a shorthanded Bellarmine women's tennis team fell to Northern Kentucky on Saturday.  Coming off a pair of matches in Knoxville on Friday, the Knights returned home and dropped their matchup with Norse by a final score of 6-1.
 
"It was a tough match today," Knights Head Coach Brian Slack.  "We were fighting uphill the whole day. Down to 5 players due to injury and sickness, we were down the #3 doubles spot. NKU did what they needed in doubles to get the point. Also, losing the #6 singles spot, we were immediately down 2-0. We fought hard but just couldn't get ahead all day. Hats off to NKU for scrapping and winning the match."
 
Lailaa Bashir and Shu Grosso won 6-2 at no. 1 doubles, but NKU's victory at no. 2 doubles from Mariajose Hernandez and Anaya Kothakota sealed the doubles point for the Norse with BU forfeiting the no. 3 spot.
 
Bashir had Bellarmine's lone singles win, topping Ashlee Fisk 6-3, 6-1 in the no. 2 position.  Ekaterina Tikhonko at no. 1 singles, and Hanley Riner at no. 4 singles battled to three sets but fell just short.

Bellarmine faces Georgia Southern next Saturday on the road in Statesboro at 10:00 a.m.

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