WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Longwood women's tennis seniors Paloma Alatorre, Anna Pelak and Mason Thomas each picked up singles wins in their last postseason push in the blue and white, leading the Lancers past Radford in a 4-3 comeback effort Thursday morning in the opening round match at the Wake Forest Tennis Complex.

Thursday's victory came in similar fashion as Longwood's win 10 days ago against the Highlanders as all three seniors exuded their leadership on the court with wins at their respective singles courts, two coming in three-set fashion. The only difference this time around was a 7-5, 6-4 win at the sixth position from sophomore Fallon Burger and a doubles point for Radford.

"It feels good to overcome the same team because there can be a lot of pressure, but this win, I think, was the product of a lot of hard work this year," said Alatorre, who has won five straight singles matches entering Friday's quarterfinals.

A native of McLean, Va., and an All-Big South honoree, Pelak clinched the Longwood victory with her 3-6, 7-5, 6-2 effort on court three for her fourth win in the top half of the rotation.

Pelak's late-match heroics capped off a Lancer run that erased a 3-1 deficit after the Highlanders took the doubles point and matches on court one and two. Thursday's win was the first conference tournament victory since the Lancers' inaugural 2013 season in the Big South, taking a 4-3 decision over Gardner-Webb and snapping a three-match skid in the tournament.

Alatorre put Longwood on the board with a 6-2, 6-2 effort on court four, tying the match at 1-1 before Drousile Dzeubou and ace Natalie Sayer took wins over Longwood freshmen counterparts Jamie Breunig and Marija Venta, both victories in straight-set fashion.

Burger's 7-5, 6-4 triumph at six got the Lancer run started, setting the stage for Thomas' three-set 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 comeback at the fifth slot and Pelak's match-clincher.

Thursday's rally was also the sixth time this season all three Lancer seniors picked up singles wins, the last two occasions coming against their Big South rival Highlanders.

"For us seniors, I think our experience showed today in helping us close the match," Alatorre said.

With the win, Longwood moves on to play top-seeded Winthrop Thursday morning at 9 a.m. in a quarterfinals bout from the Wake Forest Tennis Complex.

2017 Big South Conference Tournament First Round
Longwood 4, Radford 3
April 20, 2017 at Winston-Salem, N.C. (Wake Forest Tennis Complex)
 
Singles competition
1. Dousile Dzeubou (RAD) def. VENTA, Marija (LWU) 6-3, 6-1
2. Natalie Sayer (RAD) def. BREUNIG, Jamie (LWU) 6-1, 6-2
3. PELAK, Anna (LWU) def. Meili Martin (RAD) 3-6, 7-5, 6-2
4. ALATORRE, Paloma (LWU) def. Claire Nguyen (RAD) 6-2, 6-2
5. THOMAS, Mason (LWU) def. Karlie Pope (RAD) 5-7, 6-1, 6-2
6. BURGER, Fallon (LWU) def. Yuliia Popova (RAD) 7-5, 6-4
 
Doubles competition
1. Natalie Sayer/Meili Martin (RAD) def. BREUNIG, Jamie/BURGER, Fallon (LWU) 6-4
2. Claire Nguyen/Karlie Pope (RAD) def. ALATORRE, Paloma/VENTA, Marija (LWU) 6-3
3. PELAK, Anna/THOMAS, Mason (LWU) vs. Dousile Dzeubou/Yuliia Popova (RAD) 4-5, unfinished
 
Match Notes
Radford 7-13 (0-7 BSC)
Longwood 7-13 (1-6 BSC)
 
Order of Finish:
Doubles: 1, 2, 3
Singles: 4, 2, 1, 6, 5, 3
 
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