EDMOND, Okla. – Northeastern State's run in the MIAA Women's Tennis Tournament ended in dramatic heartbreak fashion Sunday, with Washburn (16-6) rallying in its top singles flight for a 4-3 win to claim its seventh postseason title. 

The RiverHawks nearly claimed its third consecutive late match run after the Ichabods took doubles and took a 3-1 match advantage.  Sandra Mari Marti won 6-4, 6-1 in six singles, and Alisha Moldakhmetova thumped #29 ranked Maja Jung in three sets (6-4, 3-6, 6-3)

While Moldakhmetova's match was concluding, the RiverHawks were a game away from winning its third MIAA Tournament title, with Emilia Cosatto up 5-4 in the second set.  Before playing for a match-clinching win for the RiverHawks, the Icabods' top singles player called for an injury time-out.  

The three-minute delay squashed Cosatto's momentum, with Washburn winning the next three games to force a decisive third set.   Both players split the first six games before Washburn broke the tie and won the next two games to go up 5-3.  Cosatto won the next game and held a 40-30 lead in the tenth game before the Ichabods won the following two points for the overall match win.

"The team did everything I asked of them today," said head coach Tim McLane.  "They emptied the take and came up just a hair short.   It was an epic championship match today against a really good Washburn team.   I think we've done enough over the last three days to earn a bid into NCAA Tournament."

With a 12-8 record, the RiverHawks knocked off the top two teams in the NCAA Central Region during the MIAA Tournament.  One week ago, NSU was ranked eighth, with the top six teams advancing into the National Tournament.  

NCAA selections will be announced on Monday at 7:30 p.m.