(Petersburg, VA)  - Shaw came within one game of a three-peat of the CIAA Women's Tennis Championship, but came up short against Winston-Salem State, 5-4, in the Championship match held at Virginia State University Saturday afternoon.

In the end, it came down to the number four doubles, which went into a tiebreaker in the third set before the outcome was decided. 

With a player absent, Shaw forfeited both the third doubles and sixth singles slot before play even began in the best-of-nine match. 

Shaw's number one doubles team of Aline Ferreira and Vimbai Mawisire (pictured) had an easy time defeating Kayla Carter and Kalin Jarvis 8-2.

But at second doubles, in a match that had all the spectators on the edge of their seats, WSSU's Sloane Holmes and Bianka Locklear were pushed to the brink by Lolia Kienka and Evan Okafor, eking out an 8-6 win.

Winston-Salem State's number five, Dominique Lindsay, brought in an early 6-0, 6-1 win over Desiree Bell, giving Winston-Salem a 4-1 lead and putting them one point from victory.

Shaw's Ferreira was the next to report - with a 6-0, 6-1 win over Locklear to pull the Lady Bears within two.  Soon after, Shaw's Mawisire reported her 6-3, 6-1 victory over Carter, cutting WSSU's lead to one with two matches still on the court.

At the number one singles, Kienka defeated Holmes 6-3, 6-3, tying the match at 4-4.  On court four, the fourth singles were playing into the third set - and then in a third-set tiebreaker to determine the match.  In the end, WSSU's Jarvis handed Okafor the 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7-4) defeat to give Winston-Salem State their first CIAA women's tennis title.

The Lady Bears finish their season with a 17-8 mark, while the Lady Rams move into the NCAA Tournament with a 27-1 record.