The No.3-ranked Emory women's tennis team took off on a three-match, northeast road trip this weekend, winning two of three matches. The Eagles defeated No.9-ranked Middlebury College (Vt.) on Friday and No.9-ranked Bowdoin College (Mass.) on Saturday. On Sunday, Emory fell to No.5-ranked Williams College (Mass.).
On Friday, the women defeated Middlebury 7-2 on Middlebury's home courts.
In a sweep across all three doubles matches, Emory solidified an early lead in the match.
The Eagles' team of junior Gabrielle Clark and freshman Annette Sullivan came together at first doubles, defeating their opponents 8-5.
At second doubles, senior Jordan Wylie and freshman Madison Gordon came out with an 8-4 victory.
Freshman Emma Taylor and junior Brenna Kelly followed with another 8-4 win at third doubles.
"We have been working more as a unit and really supporting each other and helping one another fight till the very end in all our matches," Taylor said.
While the doubles teams were cleaning up on one side of the court, the back end of Emory's singles lineup secured the final victory. Freshman Beatrice Rosen, at third singles, defeated her opponent 6-4, 6-1. Wylie followed with a 6-3, 6-3 final score over her competition at fourth singles.
Gordon, at fifth singles, walked off of the court with a 6-2, 6-0 score, and Kelly secured the doubles play with a final mark of 6-4, 6-1 at sixth singles.
On Saturday, the Eagles continued their winning streak with an 8-1 win over Bowdoin. The match was played at Williams College.
Once again, the doubles teams breezed by the competition. Clark and Sullivan finished with a victory of 8-3 at first doubles. Wylie and Gordon brought home an 8-5 win at second doubles. Rounding out the doubles victories were Taylor and Kelly, earning an 8-4 final score at third doubles.
At this match, the singles play proved to be just as successful. The Eagles defeated their opponents in five out of the six matches. Clark slaughtered her opponent 6-2, 6-2 at first doubles. Rosen continued powerful play with a triumph of 6-3, 6-0 at third singles.
At number four singles, Gordon came off the court with a 6-3, 6-1 victory. At fifth, Kelly went into a third set, beating her counterpart 6-3, 4-6, 10-6.
Freshman Stephanie Loutsenko closed out Bowdoin, winning by a final score of 7-5, 6-3 at sixth singles.
"We had some strong play the first two days up in New England," sophomore Allie Damico said. "All of our hard work during practices and on our own time out of practice really showed out on the courts."
The Eagles' four-match winning streak came to an end on Sunday, as Emory fell to Williams by a score of 3-6.
Emory's lone doubles win came in the third doubles match as Taylor and Kelly came out with a win of 9-7. Clark and Sullivan came close to giving the Eagles a 2-1 advantage in doubles play but fell by a score of 9-8.
At first singles, Clark defeated her opponent with a score of 6-0, 6-4. Rosen followed at second singles with a win of 7-5, 6-2.
From there, it was all Williams, who went on to win the next four single matches, winning the overall match by a score of 6-3.
"Even though we didn't come out on top against Williams, each of us fought and gave it our all," Loutsenko said. "I think we're definitely more united, and it shows in our matches."
Now, Emory will turn its attention to conference play. After a three-week break from game-time, the Eagles are headed to Altamonte Springs (Fla.) for the 2013 University Athletic Association (UAA) Championships. The matches will begin on Thursday, April 25.
– By Nicola Braginsky
Photo by Christine Hines
