CofC Sweeps Saturday, Defeats No. 39 William & Mary and Savannah State

Saturday, February 25

Mt. Pleasant, S.C.

10:00 AM

College of Charleston

William & Mary

Photo by: CofCSports.com

CofC Sweeps Saturday, Defeats No. 39 William & Mary and Savannah State

2/25/2017 6:41:00 PM | Women's Tennis

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By: Chris Chandler, Assistant Director of Athletics Communications

MT. PLEASANT, S.C. – The College of Charleston women's tennis team (4-2) won both its matchups Saturday, kicking off the conference slate with a 4-3 win over No. 39 William & Mary (4-6) before sweeping past Savannah State (0-9) 7-0.

After dropping the doubles point and a flight six singles point, the Cougars began to rally back against the Tribe. Sarah Jane Jones scored her first singles victory of the season in flight five, defeating Charlotte Madson by a score of 6-1, 6-4. Mara Argyriou was close on her heels, taking a flight two matchup over Olivia Thaler (7-5, 6-1) to tie the match 2-2.

(2/25/2017) W. Tennis - W&M and SSU, Feb 25, 2017

Anastasia Palaska went down early, and despite fighting back in the second set, was eventually defeated 6-1, 6-4 in the fourth flight as William & Mary regained the lead up 3-2. Liza Fieldsend answered the bell in flight one, coming back from a 6-3 first set deficit against Ekaterina Stepanova to rebound 6-1, 6-3.

With the match tied 3-3, that set up the deciding showdown between Rachel McNeely and Natalia Perry in the third flight. Perry fought through to keep it close all through the second set, but McNeely was able to put her away for the 6-4, 7-5 win to seal the match for the Cougars against the defending CAA Champions.

"We came into this match pretty banged up, even my dog is at the vet today," Director of Tennis Angelo Anastopoulo said. "Sometimes, the stars have to align just right, and that's exactly what happened today. Everything what right for us, and we needed it to beat a great program like William & Mary."

CofC then hosted Savannah State in a match that concluded quickly. The Tigers brought five players to the Lowcountry, which forfeited flight three doubles and flight six singles in favor of the Cougars. Sarah Zschunke and Fieldsend dispatched their flight two matchup 6-3, which led to the College kicking off singles play up 2-0. McNeely and Christi Woodson both earned flawless 6-0, 6-0 victories, and the Cougars steamrolled the Tigers 7-0.

The Cougars next match will be on the road on March 4^th, when they are slated to visit the Stetson Hatters.

CofC 4, No. 39 William & Mary 3
SINGLES
Liza Fieldsend (CofC) def. Ekaterina Stepanova (W&M) – 3-6, 6-1, 6-3
Mara Argyriou (CofC) def. Olivia Thaler (W&M) – 7-5, 6-1
Rachel McNeely (CofC) def. Natalia Perry (W&M) – 6-4, 7-5
Maria Groener (W&M) def. Anastasia Palaska (CofC) – 6-1, 6-4
Sarah Jane Jones (CofC) def. Charlotte Madson (W&M) – 6-1, 6-4
Rosie Cheng (W&M) def. Sarah Zschunke (CofC) – 6-1, 6-1
Order of Finish: 6, 5, 2, 4, 1, 3
DOUBLES
Goodman/Faure (W&M) def. Fieldsend/McNeely (CofC) – 6-2
Stepanova/Thaler (W&M) def. Argyriou/Palaska (CofC) – 6-5(2)
Groener/Madson (W&M) def. Jones/Zschunke (CofC) – 6-0
Order of Finish: 3, 1, 2

CofC 7, Savannah State 0
SINGLES
Liza Fieldsend (CofC) def. Sandy Lochu (SSU) – 6-0, 7-5
Christi Woodson (CofC) def. Rachida el Kateb (SSU) – 6-0, 6-0
Mara Argyriou (CofC) def. Lili-Morgan Pastore (SSU) – 6-2, 6-2
Rachel McNeely (CofC) def. Bria Burrows (SSU) – 6-0, 6-0
Sarah Jane Jones (CofC) def. Jennyfer Vivas (SSU) – 6-2, 6-2
Sarah Zschunke (CofC) – Default Win
Order of Finish: 2, 4, 3, 1, 5
DOUBLES
Argyriou/Palaska (CofC) vs. Lochu/el Kateb (SSU) – 4-2, Unf.
Fieldsend/Zschunke (CofC) def. Pastore/Burrows (SSU) – 6-3
Nyikos/McNeely (CofC) – Default Win
Order of Finish: 2