Cougars Go Down Swinging Against Eagles

Friday, March 9

Mt. Pleasant, S.C.

2:30 PM

College of Charleston

Winthrop

Photo by: CofCSports.com

3/9/2018 10:27:00 PM | Women's Tennis

MT. PLEASANT, S.C. – It was a hotly contested match featuring four tiebreaks on Friday when Winthrop came to visit the College of Charleston women's tennis team (9-5) at Patriots Point, but the Eagles (8-2) were able to get the better of the Cougars with a 6-1 victory.

The Eagles claimed the doubles point with a 6-3 win on court one followed by a 6-4 decision on court three. Though the point was decided, pride fueled Helena Nyikos and Rachel McNeely on court two, who fought to a tiebreak win to defeat Tayla Van Eck and Alisa Soloveva to head into singles play.

Winthrop charged out to a 3-0 advantage in the match, scoring two-set victories on courts four and five. Nyikos faced off against No. 23 ranked Lauren Proctor on court one, and though she played a strong match against a tough foe, fell 7-5, 7-5 as the Eagles claimed the match.

Rachel McNeely was the lone Cougar to score a singles victory on the day, as the senior fought Megan Kauffman to a 7-6(5) win in the opening set of flight three before mopping up with a 6-0 second set.

CofC's remaining two matches went to three sets, with both requiring tiebreaks. Ava Turner bounced back from a tough first set on court six for a 7-6(2) decision in the next set, though she ultimately fell to Alya Mourad in the end. Christi Woodson meanwhile played a grueling match on court two with Alisa Soloveva to a 7-5, 2-6, 7-6(4) defeat.

CofC's home-stand is interrupted by a solo-road match on March 14, when they travel up the shore to take on the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers.

Winthrop 6, CofC 1

SINGLES
No. 23 Lauren Proctor (WU) def. Helena Nyikos (CofC) ~ 7-5, 7-5
Alisa Soloveva (WU) def. Christi Woodson (CofC) ~ 7-5, 2-6, 7-6(4)
Rachel McNeely (CofC) def. Megan Kauffman (WU) ~ 7-6(5), 6-0
Tayla Van Eck (WU) def. Anastasia Palaska (CofC) ~ 6-0, 6-1
Aida Kelic (WU) def. Laura Arciniegas (CofC) ~ 6-3, 6-2
Alya Mourad (WU) def. Ava Turner (CofC) ~ 6-1, 6-7(2), 6-1
DOUBLES
Kauffman/Proctor (WU) def. Palaska/Woodson (CofC) ~ 6-3
McNeely/Nyikos (CofC) def. Soloveva/Van Eck (WU) ~ 7-6(5)
Burns/Kelic (WU) def. Jones/Zschunke (CofC) ~ 6-4