MT. PLEASANT, S.C. – The College of Charleston women's tennis team (12-7) looked to be off to an outstanding day after building a 3-0 lead on Parent's Weekend, only to have their hopes dashed as the James Madison Dukes (9-4) fought back to win the day 4-3.

Doubles action began inauspiciously for the Cougars, who started off with a 6-1 loss in the second flight which gave JMU the edge. However, Liza Fieldsend and Sarah Zschunke responded with a 6-3 win over Emma Petersen and Bella Heidenreich in the third flight to knot doubles up.

That left a titanic showdown in the top flight, where Katherine Schofield and Mara Argyriou entered the day with a 14-1 doubles record, and Rebecca Harris and Abby Amos came into the day with a 7-1 record of their own. The Cougars got off to the early 2-1 lead, but JMU took it back, leading 5-4. Schofield and Argyriou fought back to take the next three sets in a row, giving them a 7-5 win, and granting the College the coveted doubles point.

In singles play, five of the six flights experienced extremely tight opening sets, with Liza Fieldsend being the exception. The native of New Braunfels, Texas cut through Rachel Nelson in the top flight like a hot knife through butter, cruising to a 6-1, 6-0 victory which gave the College a 2-0 edge.

Mara Argyriou pushed the lead to 3-0, winning a challenging first set over Abby Amos 6-4, before pulling away 6-1 in the fourth flight battle. Yet that's as close as the Cougars would come, as James Madison's comeback began.

All four remaining flights were exceedingly close, with three of them heading to third sets. The first t fall for the Cougars was Brooke McAmis, who took Kimmy Herrock to 7-5 sets in the third flight loss. Sarah Jane Jones dropped a first set tiebreaker 7-6(2) to Rebecca Harris, but would bounce back 6-2 the following set before falling 6-3 in the third. Helena Nyikos and Katherine Schofield both went to third flights as well, but each wound up falling, sealing the JMU comeback.

“Today was a terrific display of collegiate tennis from both teams,” Director of Tennis Angelo Anastopoulo said. “Credit to James Madison for being the better team today and clawing their way back for the win. I thought our doubles looked a lot better today, but we're going to have to address losing these three-set matches going forward.”

The College will have ample opportunity to rebound next week, when they play five matches in five days beginning Monday with Elon.

James Madison 4, CofC 3
SINGLES
Liza Fieldsend def. Rachel Nelson – 6-1, 6-0
Timea Guibe def. Katherine Schofield – 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
Kimmy Herrock def. Brooke McAmis – 7-5, 7-5
Mara Argyriou def. Abby Amos – 6-4, 6-1
Emma Petersen def. Helena Nyikos – 6-4, 1-6, 6-2
Rebecca Harris def. Sarah Jane Jones – 7-6(2), 2-6, 6-3
Order of Finish: 1, 4, 3, 6, 5, 2
DOUBLES
Argyriou/Schofield def. Amos/Harris – 7-5
Guibe/Herrock def. Nyikos/Colen – 6-1
Fieldsend/Zschunke def. Petersen/Heidenreich – 6-3
Order of Finish: 2, 3, 1