Burlington, N.C. - The women's tennis team of North Carolina Wesleyan saw its hopes of a first USA South Tournament title come to an end with a heartbreaking 5-4 loss to Methodist University in Saturday's semifinal action in Burlington. The Bishops, who shared the conference's regular season crown with the Monarchs, nearly overcame a 3-0 doubles deficit but came up one win short in singles play.

The same two squads had met less than a week earlier in Rocky Mount, where the Bishops secured a share of the program's first regular season title with a 6-3 win. NCWC had taken two of three doubles matches then, but the Bishops struggled to find their rhythm in 8-5, 8-5 and 8-2 defeats on Saturday.

The Bishops got as close as 4-2 during singles play as Bristy Parker and Samia Kacher turned in a pair of straight-set singles wins at #6 and #2, respectively. The Monarchs' Laura Baker, however, clinched the match with a three-set win at the #3 seed.

Down 5-2, freshmen Michelle Hart and Yvonne Kamegne finished out their three-set victories at #4 and #1, respectively, securing the 5-4 final and leaving the Bishops just one win shy of its first tournament championship appearance.

NCWC had advanced to play Methodist after a dominating 9-0 sweep of Mary Baldwin on Friday. Later in the evening, the team accepted its first regular season championship trophy, and Kamegne was honored as the league's Rookie of the Year.

Wesleyan ends the season with a 10-9 overall record, thereby securing the program's third straight winning season.