After picking up their first win at this year’s Billie Jean King Cup Americas group three in Tacarigua, Trinidad & Tobago, Bermuda were pegged back 3-0 by St Lucia yesterday.

Since St Lucia are making their debut appearance in the top tier of amateur team competition in women’s tennis, Neal Towlson’s side were expected to have an upper hand.

Shelby Madeiros, the hero in Tuesday’s 2-1 victory over Aruba, was the first to take to the court against Jessica Eudovic. Bermuda’s No 2 player took the first set 6-2, only for Eudovic to fight back to win the second 6-1, to send the encounter to the third set.

While Madeiros fought hard, the 17-year-old Eudovic, who has experience from playing in the United States at various levels, held on for a 7-5 victory to give her team a 1-0 lead.

Meggan Williams completed the win with a 6-4, 6-2 success over Nadhira Durham, playing in the No 1 slot. In the doubles, Towlson deployed Alexcie Burrows and Airez Gilbert-Simons, with the two overpowered 6-2, 6-1 by Eudovic and Iyana Paul for St Lucia to complete the sweep.

Although it was not a fruitful day on the court for his team, Towlson was still proud of the effort put in by the players.

“Despite the day’s ups and downs, the Bermuda players showcased resilience and determination,'' he said.

“Shelby played an incredible match, displaying grit and tenacity throughout. For all her relentless efforts, her opponent narrowly edged her out in the third set. The team were very proud of Shelby’s performance and unwavering spirit during this match.

“Nadhira faced a consistent opponent. The pressure to get a win on the board seemed to contribute to Nadhira’s nerves, causing her to play more hurriedly than usual.

“Unfortunately, a few unforced errors at critical moments cost her the match. Nonetheless, her efforts and composure were commendable.

“The doubles match featured Airez and Alexcie, marking Alexcie’s debut in doubles play. The St Lucia pairing brought unexpected pace, catching the Bermuda team off-guard initially.

“However, Airez and Alexcie managed to steady themselves and gained confidence as the match progressed. Despite their efforts, the St Lucia team proved too strong.

“I am proud of all the players, their positive attitudes and determination. Despite the challenging day, we remained positive and gave it our all. It is important to note the perseverance and match experience that these ladies are gaining.

"With this experience, we grow better and better, looking to make bigger moves in the years to come."

Bermuda’s last round-robin assignment is today against El Salvador. Seeing that their next opponents defeated St Lucia 3-0 on Monday, it promises to be an uphill battle for Towlson’s side.

Ten teams are competing in the six-day tournament at the National Racquet Centre, with the sides divided into two pools.

When the action concludes on Saturday, the top two teams from each pool will have a shot at gaining promotion to group two, while those at the bottom head into a battle for survival.