The Slippery Rock University women’s tennis team went on the road this past weekend to compete in a pair of non-conference matches against West Virginia State (9-4) and the University of Charleston (14-2). After dropping a close game to West Virginia State on Saturday in a 5-4 affair, The Rock remained winless on the road this season after being bested by Charleston by a final score of 7-0. The losses drop the Green and White to 10-6 overall on the season.
In the opening game of Slippery Rock’s weekend slate, both teams found themselves in a tight battle that went from start to finish.
West Virginia State through the first blow of the match, as they secured the team doubles point, claiming consecutive 6-3 wins in the first and third flights. Kierstin Hensley and Laura Ibsey defeated Viola Lugmayr and Lois Page, then Sydney Miller and Hanna Kruhvola followed suit by taking down Lauren Fadden and Allie Welch.
The Rock did pick up a win in the second doubles flight however as Lacey Cohen and Olivia Warner triumphed over Kayla McKnight and Chante’ Malo, 6-2.
The Yellow Jackets replicated their success in the singles flights, starting out on top with WVSU’s Isbey besting Cohen with a 6-0, 6-1 score.
The Rock had no intentions of submitting to their opponent, however, as they battled back to tie the match at 2-2 with big wins by Warner and Page from the fourth and third flights. Warner was victorious over McKnight, 6-3, 6-1 and Page downed Kruhlova 6-3, 6-2.
With the match sitting at a tie, the two teams traded blows back and forth as Hensley conquered Lugmayr in the second flight 6-7, 6-2, 6-0 before The Rock answered with a win in the fifth flight as Fadden bested Malo in a 5-7, 7-6, 7-5 comeback, tying the game at 3-3.
The Rock’s comeback was shot down in the final match of the day when Tadic edged Welch 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, clinching the victory for WVSU.
Unfortunately, The Rock’s fortunes were not any better in Sunday’s matchup against Charleston. From the moment the first tennis ball was served, it was clear that The Rock could not get into a rhythm.
Charleston got the ball rolling as Silvia Slusarciuc and Elise Edwards topped Cohen and Warner which was followed by a 6-3 win in the third flight with Regina Saucedo and Mathilde Simon edging Fadden and Welch.
Sunday was not a complete loss for The Rock, with Page and Lugmayr registering the Green and White’s only victory of the day as they took down Katie Swann and Kristine Gegsehidze, 6-4. Page and Lugmayr added to their impressive resume this season, as they improve to 15-6 as a team in 2018-2019. The win was no easy task either, as Gegsehidze and Swann came into the day ranked 40th in the nation as a duo.
Charleston jumped out to a quick start in Sunday’s singles portion of the competition as Edwards defeated Page 6-2, 6-1 in the third flight. Gegsehidze avenged her doubles loss in the top flight, handing Cohen a 6-1, 6-2 loss.
The Eagles delivered the final blow when Simon put down Fadden at No. 5 singles, 6-3, 6-2. The remaining three matches on Sunday’s slate featured Swann overcoming Lugmayr (6-2, 1-6, 6-3), Slusarcuic registered a win over Warner (7-6, 6-4), and Saucedo beat Welch (6-2, 1-6, 10-4).
Rock Tennis will look to get back to their winning ways this season as they travel to West Chester University for an 11 a.m. showdown on April 13.
