Final regular season match ends in 4-2 loss for women’s tennis against #23 Newberry
The Eagles challenged the ranked Wolves but couldn’t grab the win at their home court.
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – The Eagles challenged the ranked Wolves but couldn't grab the win at their home court.
With a 9-11 record overall and a 5-6 record in conference play this season, the Eagles will occupy the 8th seed in the conference tournament.
"We had several chances to turn that match in our favor, which is kind of our theme this year. I know how talented we are and can be," said head coach Nate Gangelhoff. "But, it obviously only counts when we actually do make it happen. We need to be better at taking a stronger hold on singles altogether as a team and close the door in doubles."
In doubles, the second pair of Maria dl Mar Sarda Marti and Kira Baacke lost 6-4, but Leah McBride and Mar Fraile collected their 8th win of the season in a 6-4 decision. The third doubles pair was 8-7 in doubles play in the regular season. Finally, Hala Awad and Abinaya Sweeton fought, but dropped a 7-5 contest at first doubles.
Then in singles, Hala Awad made quick work of Margarita Roshka, with a 6-0, 6-3 win. Awad finished the regular season at a stunning 12-1. With this win, she ties the 12th-best single-season singles win tally. She has the fourth-best winning percentage in C-N history this season.
However, Kira Baacke fell at fourth singles 6-0, 6-2, and Maria del Mar Sarda Marti lost 6-1, 6-3 at third singles.
Leah McBride got back in the win column with a 6-3, 6-3 win at the fifth line. The junior wrapped the regular season at 6-7 in singles play.
Kerrigan Spiers dropped a heartbreaker at second singles in a 7-5, 7-6 (8-6) loss and Mar Fraile's match at the six line went unfinished. She had lost the first set 6-4, won the second 7-6 (7-3), and was down 2-3 in the third.
So, C-N will head to the SAC tournament having lost two in a row. Their conference record is tied with UVA Wise, but the Eagles lost the head-to-head tiebreaker because of a loss earlier this year. C-N will play as the 8th seed in the tournament and will see #6 Catawba in the Quarterfinals.
"We will go into the tournament with confidence in our team that we will go after anyone as long as we play to the best of our own ability," said Gangelhoff.
First serve between the Eagles and Bears is scheduled for 2 p.m. at the Palmetto Tennis Center in Sumter, South Carolina on April 16th. For updates, follow @CN_Eagles on X and Instagram, or Carson-Newman Athletics on Facebook. Full coverage is also available at cneagles.com.
