ABILENE, Texas – Tarleton State senior Noelia Lorca captured the first-ever WAC Tennis Invitational singles championship by defeating UT Arlington's Ana Paula Jimenez in three sets 7-6 (3), 1-6, 6-4 in Sunday's final at John TL Jones Tennis Center.

Lorca, who won four matches in three days as the No. 5 seed, is the WAC's singles qualifier for the 2024 ITA Conference Masters Championship Nov. 7-10 in Rome, Georgia. The Spaniard will be one of 32 singles players fighting for four automatic bids to the NCAA Singles Championship Nov. 19-24 in Waco. 

"Noelia is a fighter," head coach Elianne Douglas-Miron said. "She continues to impress me every time she competes. She came into this tournament with one goal in mind: to win. It wasn't the prettiest tennis, but it was exciting. She gained more confidence with every match and proved she is the grittiest player in the WAC. She goes down in history as the first-ever WAC Singles Champion and that will be something she will remember forever." 

Lorca earned her trip to the singles final by clinching two wins on Friday and knocking off the No. 1 seed Lamija Avidic (Seattle) on Saturday. After winning her quarterfinals match in three sets, Lorca came up with a bagel in set one of the semifinals en route to winning in straight sets to reach the championship match. 

Going back-and-forth in set one, Lorca clinched the ninth game to take a 5-4 lead. Jimenez bounced back to win the next two games, but Lorca responded by taking the 12th game to force a tiebreak. Lorca closed out the tiebreak victorious and took the first set. 

After Jimenez won the second set 6-1, Lorca answered the bell by breaking serve in set three. The senior took advantage and led set three 3-0. 

"I wanted to win so bad," Lorca said. "I knew it was going to be a hard match because I already played against (Jimenez) two times and it was two tough matches and two long matches. I knew I was going to have to go through that again and I knew it wasn't going to be easy." 

Jimenez answered Lorca's firepower and strung together a string of games won in the third set, but the senior was unfazed. Lorca clinched the seventh game to swing the advantage and came up with a critical clinching point to put her one game away from the title. 

Lorca seized the moment and came out on top in the final game to grasp the third set and the conference's fall singles title. 

"In this final, I had to win it and give it everything because it's my last fall semester," Lorca said. "I wanted to finish it the best I could for me, my team, and my coaches. I am really, really happy." 

Lorca and the Texans await for the singles draw for the ITA Conference Masters Championship in Rome, Georgia starting Nov. 7. 

2024 WAC Tennis Invitational Results 
Women's Singles First Round
No. 5 Noelia Lorca (Tarleton) defeats No. 12 Adela Latalova (UTA), 6-2, 6-3

Women's Singles Quarterfinals
No. 5 Noelia Lorca (Tarleton) defeats No. 4 Olivia Sears (ACU), 6-0, 5-7, 6-4
No. 3 Emma Persson (Tarleton) defeats No. 6 Dania Deaifi (GCU): 2-6, 6-1, 7-5

Women's Singles Semifinals
No. 5 Noelia Lorca (Tarleton) defeats No. 1 Lamija Avdic (SU): 6-0, 7-5
No. 2 Ana Paula Jimenez (UTA) defeats No. 3 Emma Persson (Tarleton): 6-3, 7-5

Women's Singles Final 
No. 5 Noelia Lorca (Tarleton) defeats No. 2 Ana Paula Jimenez (UTA): 7-6 (3), 1-6, 6-4

Women's Doubles Semifinals
No. 5 GCU (Gala Arangio/Dania Deaifi) defeats No. 1 Tarleton State (Ximena Morales/Emma Persson): 6-1, 6-3