CLAREMONT, Calif. — Pomona-Pitzer women's tennis fell 4-3 in a thrilling NCAA DIII National Championship match to Washington University in St. Louis Friday evening at CMS. 
 
The loss marks the end to a highly successful season for the Sagehens, who came up just short of their first national championship since 1992. Pomona-Pitzer ends the year with a 17-8 overall record, including 6-0 in SCIAC play. 
 
The Sagehens fell behind 1-0 in the match after dropping the doubles point in close fashion. Lauren Rha and Leticia Bazua Vazquez won their doubles contest on court three, 6-2. But Amelia Poor and Nyakiriri Kanefu fell on court two, 6-2, before Marissa Markey and Angie Zhou fell on court one, 6-3, as WashU earned the doubles point. 
 
The Bears took a 2-0 match lead after Kanefu fell 6-1, 6-2 on court three. The Sagehens earned their first point of the match on top court, as Zhou cruised to a 6-4, 6-1 victory. The Bears, though, pushed the overall match to the brink after Markey fell in a tough fought battle on court four, 7-5, 6-2. 
 
But Pomona-Pitzer refused to go down without a fight, as Rha gutted out a tough 7-6 (7-1), 6-3 win on court No. 2 to keep the Sagehens alive. Poor then won a thrilling three-setter on court No. 5 after dropping the first set, 2-6, 7-6 (7-1), 6-3 to tie the match at 3-3. All eyes were then on court No. 6, where Vazquez earned a 7-5 win in set one before falling 6-1 in the second. But the Bears ultimately prevailed, as Vazquez fell 6-2 in the third and WashU sealed the 4-3 national championship match win.