Appalachian State 6, Lees McRae 1
BANNER ELK, N.C.- Appalachian State University women's tennis won its first match of the 2009 season and snapped a three-game losing skid Tuesday afternoon, as the Mountaineers handily defeated Lees McRae 6-1. With the win ASU improves to 1-3 on the season, while the Bobcats drop to 1-1.
The Apps got off to a strong start on the afternoon as they were able to come away with the crucial doubles point.
At the number one double position, the duo of Olivia Stannard and Blakely Bean were victorious over Christine Vanard and Lyndsay Pegram, winning in a hard fought battle 9-8 (7-4 tie breaker).
Amanda Cash and Heather Prior lost a tough match to Gabriela Celi and Cameron Joyce at the number two spot narrowly falling 8-6, while Monica Tomas and Laura Janke ran past their opponents at the number three spot, winning 8-1.
Despite Tomas's solid performance in doubles, Celi proved to be a tough competitor at the number one singles position and defeated Tomas in ASU's lone loss of the afternoon 6-2, 6-1.
At the number two singles spot, Cash defeated Vanard in three tough sets, winning 6-2, 5-7 and 10-5 in a tie breaker.
Bean grabbed a win over her opponent in two sets at the number three position, while Stannard was also victorious at the number four spot.
Janke and Heather Prior also won on the afternoon, each defeating their opponents in two sets.
The Apps look to carry their momentum into their next match, Saturday February 14 as they take on East Carolina at 10 am in Greenville, N.C.
Memphis 4, Samford 2
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. --- The Samford University women’s tennis team dropped a hard-fought 4-2 decision against the Memphis Tigers on Tuesday in a marathon six-hour match held at the Pat M. Courington Tennis Pavilion. The contest was the Bulldogs’ first dual match of the 2009 campaign.
In Tuesday’s season opener, Samford (0-1) received both of its points in singles play as Taylor Morgan and Shannon Hartmann each tallied victories against their Tiger counterparts.
Morgan, the Bulldogs’ talented sophomore from Jacksonville, Fla., cruised to a straight-set victory over Marjorie Ondeck on court No. 1, 6-3, 6-2, while Hartmann outlasted Dara Toulch in the No. 4 singles match. Hartmann, a junior from Lexington, Ky., dropped the first set, 6-4, but then rallied to win the final two sets, 6-3, 6-1.
The deciding singles match of Tuesday’s lengthy duel occurred on court No. 5.
At the time, Memphis (4-1) led the overall score of the contest, 3-2, but Samford’s Jessica Diamond held a first-set advantage in the No. 6 singles competition 6-2, and looked as if she would later win her match.
In the pivotal singles contest held on court No. 5, Memphis’ Robyn Jones won the first set over Stephanie Parkison 6-3, but Samford’s junior from Clarkston, Mich., fought back to win the second set 6-3. The third set proved to be the deciding factor in Tuesday’s contest and neither competitor backed down.
Samford’s Parkison and Memphis’ Jones battled to a third-set tiebreaker and the Tigers’ freshman from Baton Rouge, La., was able to hold on for a 7-6 (3) decision.
The Samford University women’s tennis team will next be in action Friday at 3 p.m., as the Bulldogs welcome the Georgia State Panthers to the Pat M. Courington Tennis Pavilion for another home non-conference matchup.