MOUNT OLIVE (Feb. 18) – Facing their second nationally-ranked opponent this season, the University of Mount Olive women's tennis team fell by a 6-1 margin to No. 19 Wingate on Saturday afternoon at the John Neal Walker Tennis Center in a non-conference dual.

With the loss, the Trojans drop to 2-6 in dual matches this spring after playing a competitive regional slate. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs improve to 3-0 this season after finishing runner-up in the South Atlantic Conference (SAC) in 2022.

Mount Olive captured the doubles point on Saturday after winning two of the three matches. UMO began the session with a victory by senior Liza Voloshyna and junior Nele Weber by a 6-4 margin in the first slot over Chloe Kosmrlj and Suzuka Sambyakugari. In the second position, senior Ingrid Montserrat and freshman Oriana Izarra earned a 6-1 win against Annika Hakovirta and Saga Berggren. Freshman Laura Servien and junior Jessica Aylward suffered a 6-2 loss to Alex Lopez and Elena Gunfaus.

The Bulldogs earned the match victory after sweeping all six singles matches. In the first position, Montserrat was edged out by a 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 margin against Kosmrlj, who ranked No. 16 in the Southeast Region. Voloshyna followed with a 4-6, 6-0, 6-0 loss to No. 11 regionally-ranked Gunfaus in the second slot before Izarra suffered a 7-6 (7-2), 6-4 loss versus No. 13 ranked Sambyakugari at third singles. In the fourth position, Weber dropped a 2-6, 6-2, 1-0 (10-7) decision Flaminia Guidantoni. Servien fell by a 6-4, 6-7 (4-7), 6-4 margin at fifth singles before Aylward suffered a 6-3, 6-2 loss in straight sets to Fernanda Castillo.

Mount Olive returns to action, tomorrow, Sunday, Feb. 19, when it hosts North Carolina A&T State at John Neal Walker Tennis Center, starting at 1 p.m.