ORLANDO, Fla. – The UW-Superior women's tennis team battled Illinois Tech at the USTA National Campus Tuesday, falling, 5-4.
 
The Yellowjackets (3-4) won doubles, 2-1, with Kitana Honkola (Eveleth, Minn./Eveleth-Gilbert) and Emily Wald (Antigo, Wis./Antigo) shutting out Paulina Kulyavstev and Manon Tesche, 8-0, at the No. 3 spot. Megan Dulong (Grand Rapids, Minn./Grand Rapids) and Maya Callaway (Duluth, Minn./East) also topped Kylie Hance and Sarah Oshana, 8-3.
 
Callaway and Honkola picked up the 'Jackets' two singles wins at courts four and six respectively. Callaway beat Allyson Trang, 6-0, 6-2, and Honkola defeated Shailee Shah, 1-6, 6-2, 10-1. 
 
The 'Jackets had several chances to turn the match in their favor, but couldn't quite get over the hump. 
 
Wald fell to Hance at No. 3 7-6, 7-3, 6-4. Alison Tollas (Ashland, Wis./Ashland) dropped a third-set tiebreaker, 11-9, to Sophia Nelson after tying the match with a 6-4 win in set two.  Mariah Linder (Grand Rapids, Minn./Grand Rapids) also had a shot to nail down the match for UWS. She fell at No. 5 against Mouna Chahin, 4-6, 6-3, 10-7.
 
Honkola is now a combined 4-0 between singles and doubles in Superior's three matches in Florida this season.
 
Illinois Teach improved to 14-3 on the season with the win.
 
The 'Jackets return to action against Denison Thursday at 10:30 a.m.