College of Charleston
Middle Tennessee State
Women?s Tennis Takes No. 65 Middle Tennessee Down to Wire in 4-3 Loss
3/9/2015 11:15:00 PM | Women's Tennis
CHARLESTON, S.C. – The College of Charleston women's tennis team saw its match come down to the final point after rebounding from an early 3-0 deficit against No. 65 Middle Tennessee State on Monday afternoon at Patriots Point Tennis Center.
The Blue Raiders eventually edged the Cougars, 4-3, to pick up their 13th win of the season.
“We competed well against a nationally ranked team today,” head coach Angelo Anastopoulo said. “We showed a lot of heart and we've got some people that are stepping up in matches now that weren't earlier. The ultimate goal for us is to have every person show up to play every day in order to have a successful year.”
Middle Tennessee (13-3) captured the doubles match with wins at the second and third spots. Top-seeded junior Katherine Schofield and senior Jenny Falcone were locked in a 5-5 battle at the time the Blue Raiders won the other two doubles matches.
The Blue Raiders extended their lead with straight-set wins at the No. 3 and 6 spots. Schofield put the Cougars on the board with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Guilia Squadrin on court four for her third straight singles victory. Falcone followed suit with a 7-6, 6-3 win at No. 5 singles for her second singles win in as many days.
Senior Samantha Maddox tied up the score at 3-3 with a three-set victory at the No. 2 spot. After letting her opponent, Darya Shulzhanok, slip by with a 7-5 win in the first set, Maddox took control of the match with 6-2, 6-0 triumphs in the following sets. The win was the first for Maddox this season, who has played all nine of her previous matches at the No. 1 spot.
“Jenny [Falcone] won back-to-back matches in straight sets and Kat[herine Schofield] carried her great momentum from yesterday but I'm especially proud of Sam[antha Maddox],” Anastopoulo said. “She really needed a victory today and she let the first set slip away like she's done in several matches but she rebounded after that and won two great sets.”
The match came down to MTSU's Tiffany William and junior Brooke McAmis on court one. McAmis returned to CofC's singles lineup after an eight match hiatus while struggling with a chronic injury. After losing the first set, McAmis pushed her opponent to a tiebreak in the second set. William escaped with a 7-5 victory in the tiebreak to clinch the match for the Blue Raiders.
The Cougars (1-9, 0-1 CAA) will return to action on Wednesday with a 1 pm match against East Tennessee State University. The Bucs are four-time Atlantic Sun champions and return four players from the 2014 squad. ETSU plays Charleston Southern on Tuesday before meeting the College on Wednesday.
Fans can follow Charleston's action on Live Stats.
Singles:
1. Tiffany William (MTSU) def. Brooke McAmis (CofC) 6-3, 7-6(5)
2. Samantha Maddox (CofC) def. Darya Shulzhanok (MTSU) 5-7, 6-2, 6-0
3. Jesse Grace (MTSU) def. Mara Argyriou (CofC) 6-2, 6-2
4. Katherine Schofield (CofC) def. Giulia Squadrin (MTSU) 6-4, 6-4
5. Jenny Falcone (CofC) def. Brittany Huxley (MTSU) 7-6(5), 6-3
6. Nayara Moraes (MTSU) def. Helena Nyikos (CofC) 6-3, 6-3
Order of Finish: 6, 3, 4, 5, 2, 1
Doubles:
1. Darya Shulzhanok (MTSU) vs. Katherine Schofield/Jenny Falcone (CofC) 5-5
2. Brittany Huxley/Nayara Moraes (MTSU) def. Mara Argyriou/Samantha Maddox (CofC) 6-4
3. Guilia Squadrin/Jesse Grace (MTSU) def. Grace Baker/Sara Jane Jones (CofC) 8-1
Order of Finish: 3, 2
Players Mentioned
