BELMONT, N.C. (Sept. 30) – Featuring a team of all freshmen, the Trojans secured five doubles victories and four singles wins while competing at the two-day Belmont Abbey Tournament.
The all-freshmen squad played in 20 matches during the tournament and faced a pair of Conference Carolinas programs and two teams from the South Atlantic Conference (SAC).
On Thursday, the University of Mount Olive women's tennis team registered four wins in five matches against Carson-Newman. Freshmen
Victoria Calle and
Valeria Guerrero posted a 6-3 win over Natasha Forrest and Summer Reeves in the first doubles. In the second slot, freshmen
Sara Gajbhiye and
Simone Szovan registered a 7-5 victory against Suryanshi and Julia Speiser. In singles action, freshman
Lara Stamereilers captured a 1-6, 6-4, 10-7 win versus Anita Chornei in the first position before Svozan fell by a 1-6, 2-6 margin to Leah McBride in the second singles. In the third slot, Guerrero claimed a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Suryanshi.
Later in the day, the Trojans faced Belmont Abbey in five matches and split the doubles portion of the competition. Freshman
Megan Maragliano and Stamereilers produced a 6-4 win in the second doubles match versus Anna Li and Maria Lopez. In the singles session, Gajbhiye suffered a 2-6, 1-6 loss to Hanley Riner in the first position before Calle was dealt a 3-6, 6-3, 10-6 defeat by Mackenzie McCarthy in the second slot. In the third singles match, Maragliano dropped a 4-6, 2-6 decision to Kylie Elliott.
On Friday, Mount Olive answered back with four victories over Emmanuel in five matches played. The Trojans swept the doubles session after Guerrero and Stamereilers registered a 6-2 win over Tawana Senah and Eve Robinson in the first doubles. In the second position, Gajbhiye and Maragliano posted a 6-3 victory against Darja Chistov and Chloe Smith. In singles play, Szovan fell by a 4-6, 3-6 decision to Robinson in the first slot. In the second singles match, Stamereilers registered a 6-4, 6-1 win over Chistov before Calle delivered a 6-0, 6-1 victory against Smith.
The Trojans closed the event with five matches against Lenoir-Rhyne on Friday afternoon. The Bears swept with doubles competition with a 6-2 win and 6-0 victory. In singles action, Guerrero was dealt a 4-6, 3-6 loss to Jane in the first slot. Svozan suffered a 2-6, 3-6 loss to Alysia in the second position before Gajbhiye dropped a 2-6, 3-6 decision to Nellie Wahlberg.
Mount Olive returns to the court for the Methodist Invitational on Oct. 6-8 for tournament play.
