JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. — The Bellarmine University women's tennis team extended its season-opening win streak to 10 with a 6-3 victory over Carson-Newman on Saturday, while the Knights men fell 1-8.
On the women's side, Bellarmine (10-0) won two of the three doubles matches and four of the six singles contests against Carson-Newman (3-3). Sophomore
Jennifer Skonieczny (No. 2 singles/No. 2 doubles), sophomore
Ashley Jonathan (No. 3 singles/No. 1 doubles) and freshman
Ava Ratcliff (No. 5 singles/No. 2 doubles) notched two wins apiece for the Knights while junior
Maggie Walroth (No. 1 doubles) and senior
Mairin Cotter (No. 6 singles) tallied one each.
Walroth and Jonathan trailed for much of their No. 1 doubles match but surged to wins in the final four games to clinch the victory. Skonieczny and Ratcliff captured a tiebreaker to win at No. 2 doubles, but Carson-Newman rallied to tie the contest at 2-2 after victories at No. 3 doubles and No. 1 singles.
The Knights doubled up the Eagles after wins at Nos. 3 and 2 singles by Jonathan and Skonieczny as each triumphed in a tiebreaker in a set en route to straight-sets victories. Cotter followed by clinching the team win with a convincing victory at No. 6 singles. Ratcliff capped the day by winning a third-set tiebreaker at No. 5 singles.
"It was definitely a tough test for us today as we struggled with adjusting to outdoor tennis after a month of matches inside," Knights Coach
John Mican said. "It wasn't our best week of practice because of exams and the weather, but we found a way to win. Carson-Newman really made us work for every point."
On the men's side, senior
Alex Swords and freshman
Nick Johnson won a tiebreaker at No. 2 doubles, but Carson-Newman swept the other matches.
Bellarmine dropped to 2-5 while the Eagles improved to 2-4.
The Knights squads play at Tusculum today.
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