WKU Women's Tennis Falls to Sam Houston 5-2

The Lady Toppers suffered their first Conference USA loss of the season in a close match.

Mar. 13, 2026 at 3:36am

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The Western Kentucky University (WKU) Women's Tennis team suffered a 5-2 loss to Sam Houston on Thursday at the Warren County Tennis Facility in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The match marked WKU's first Conference USA competition of the season, resulting in a 0-1 conference record. Despite securing wins in doubles play and singles competition, the Lady Toppers were unable to overcome Sam Houston's early lead.

Why it matters

This loss highlights the competitive nature of Conference USA play and the challenges the Lady Toppers will face as they embark on a five-match road trip. The team will need to adjust their strategy based on the outcome of this match and prepare for the difficulties of playing away from home.

The details

In doubles play, WKU's Andra Sirbu and Emily Schut won at the No. 2 position. In singles competition, Virginia Madueño won at the No. 3 position, and Elizabeth Sobieski secured a victory at the No. 6 position. Madueño now boasts a 13-2 singles record this season, and Sobieski has a 3-2 record, playing all matches at the No. 6 position.

  • The match was played on Thursday, March 13, 2026.
  • The Lady Toppers will next face North Alabama on Sunday, March 15, 2026 at 2 p.m. CT.

The players

Andra Sirbu

A member of the WKU Women's Tennis team.

Emily Schut

A member of the WKU Women's Tennis team. Her doubles win against Sam Houston was the 20th of her WKU career, ranking her 13th in program history.

Virginia Madueño

A member of the WKU Women's Tennis team. She won at the No. 3 singles position and now boasts a 13-2 singles record this season.

Elizabeth Sobieski

A member of the WKU Women's Tennis team. She secured a victory at the No. 6 singles position and has a 3-2 record, playing all matches at the No. 6 position.

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What they’re saying

“The loss to Sam Houston highlights the competitive nature of Conference USA play. While the Lady Toppers demonstrated strength in doubles and individual singles matches, Sam Houston's early lead in the match proved difficult to overcome.”

— Samantha Carter, Chief Editor

What’s next

The Lady Toppers will now embark on a five-match road trip, beginning with a contest against North Alabama on Sunday, March 15, at 2 p.m. CT. The team will seek to adjust their strategy based on the outcome of this match and prepare for the challenges of playing away from home.

The takeaway

This loss serves as a reminder of the competitive landscape in Conference USA and the importance for the Lady Toppers to adapt their approach as they face the challenges of a road trip. The team's ability to bounce back and find success away from home will be crucial in their pursuit of conference success.