Cougars Outlasted on the Road in 4-3 Defeat

Wednesday, March 14

Conway, SC - Coastal Carolina Tennis Complex

2:30 PM

College of Charleston

Coastal Carolina

Photo by: CofCSports.com

3/14/2018 7:19:00 PM | Women's Tennis

CONWAY, S.C. – The College of Charleston women's tennis team (9-6) fought back from a 2-0 deficit to even the match on the road on Thursday, but Coastal Carolina (8-5) was too much in the end, defeating the Cougars 4-3.

Despite a spirited effort from Helena Nyikos and Rachel McNeely on court two, the Chanticleers were able to claim the doubles point with a fast win in flight one, followed by a 6-3 decision in the third flight. Somer Dalla-Bona then followed that up with a decisive win on court two in singles play to put Coastal up 2-0.

The Cougars responded with strong play in the lower flights to knot the match up 2-2. Anastasia Palaska dispatched Natalie Wall in fifth flight play 6-4, 6-3, and Turner Yates prevailed in sixth flight play shortly thereafter with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Maria Khomchenko.

The Chanticleers regained the edge with a Rylie Cox win on court four, and were able to win the match with a win on court one, though it took a tiebreak (6-2, 7-6) for Iryna Vardanian to emerge victorious over Nyikos.

Though the match was already decided, the most grueling contest took place on court three, where McNeely played Sara Bondar to two consecutive tiebreaks (6-4, 6-7, 10-6) before giving the Cougars their third point of the day.

The Cougars will return to the Lowcountry for another match in less than 24 hours, as they will host the Samford Bulldogs on Thursday at Patriots Point at 2 p.m.

CCU 4, CofC 3

SINGLES
Iryna Vardanian (CCU) def. Helena Nyikos (CofC) ~ 6-2, 7-6
Somer Dalla-Bona (CCU) def. Christi Woodson (CofC) ~ 6-1, 6-1
Rachel McNeely (CofC) def. Sara Bondar (CCU) ~ 6-4, 6-7, 10-6
Rylie Cox (CCU) def. Catalina Medici (CofC) ~ 6-1, 6-4
Anastasia Palaska (CofC) def. Natalie Wall (CCU) ~ 6-4, 6-3
Turner Yates (CofC) def. Maria Khomchenko (CCU) ~ 6-4, 6-1
Order of Finish: 2, 5, 6, 3, 1*, 3
DOUBLES
Bondar/Dalla-Bona (CCU) def. Palaska/Woodson (CofC) ~ 6-1
McNeely/Nyikos (CofC) vs. Mount/Tiefel (CCU) ~ 4-3, DNF
Vardanian/Wall (CCU) def. Arciniegas/Yates (CofC) ~ 6-3
Order of Finish: 1, 3*