BELMONT, N.C. (April 20) – In the final match of the regular season, the University of Mount Olive women's tennis team dropped a 5-2 decision in a road match at Belmont Abbey in Conference Carolinas play on Saturday afternoon.
With the loss, the Trojans close out the regular season with an 8-10 record behind a 5-4 mark in conference action. Both teams have already clinched a spot in the postseason for the Conference Carolinas Championship while Belmont Abbey snapped a four-match losing streak in the series against Mount Olive. Meanwhile, the Crusaders improve to 18-10 overall with a 7-2 record in league play.
Belmont Abbey captured the doubles point to begin the contest after winning two of the three matches on Saturday. Senior
Jessica Aylward and freshman
Simone Szovan suffered a 6-3 loss to Hanley Riner and Mackenzie McCarthy in the first position. In the second doubles, the freshmen duo of
Victoria Calle and
Lara Stamereilers registered a 6-3 victory over Elizabeth Vollmin and Leilany Sanchez. Sophomore
Alina Esser and freshman
Valeria Guerrero dropped a 6-1 decision in the third slot while facing Alexis Burkhalter and Paola Socarras.
In the singles portion, the Crusaders claimed four of a possible six matches in the contest to seal the 5-2 win. Stamereilers recorded a straight-sets victory in the first singles by a 6-1, 7-6 (7-5) margin versus Frankee Hendricks. In the second position, Guerrero produced a 7-6 (7-4), 6-0 win over Kaitlin Nguyen before Calle fell by a 6-3, 6-2 margin against Riner in the third slot. Svozan battled in a 6-1, 6-7 (2-7), 6-2 loss while facing McCarthy in the fourth singles. In the fifth position, freshman
Sara Gajbhiye suffered a 6-1, 2-6, 6-3 defeat versus Burkhalter, while Aylward dropped a 2-6, 6-1, 1-0 (10-7) to Rebekka Collyer in the sixth spot.
The Trojans will return to the court on Friday, April 26, for the opening day of competition at the Conference Carolinas Championship in Sumter, South Carolina.
