The Emory women’s tennis team continued their season last Thursday, defeating the top-ranked NAIA team Georgia Gwinnett College Grizzlies, while falling to the NCAA Division I Charleston Southern University (S.C.) Buccaneers on Saturday. The Eagles’ record is now 5-2 on the season.
In the first set against Georgia Gwinnett, Emory gave up only one match. First singles sophomore Katarina Su lost against sophomore Valeria Podda 6-2, 6-2. Junior Beatrice Rosen played second singles winning 6-2, 6-1 against sophomore Judith van Fraaijenhoven. Sophomore Michelle Satterfield played third singles defeating her opponent sophomore Luma Schwab in a decisive match, winning in straight-sets 6-0, 6-2.
In the doubles division, Su played with freshman Anna Fuhr to win 8-4 in a pro set. Rosen also won playing second doubles with sophomore partner Melissa Goodman winning 8-2. Satterfield and freshman Bridget Harding defeated their opponents 8-0.
Against the Buccaneers, the Eagles lost their second match of the season. Both losses have come from Division I schools.
Rosen moved up to number one singles to play senior Marketa Plancha who defeated her 7-5, 6-2. Charleston Southern senior Angelica Sidorenko defeated Satterfield 6-1, 6-0 in the second singles spot. Su played third singles for the Eagles, losing in a close match to sophomore Nicolin Leucke 6-3, 6-7 and 10-6 in a super tiebreaker.
The doubles division didn’t go any better, with Emory losing all three matches. Su and Fuhr lost 8-2 against Sidorenko and junior Mi’Kola Cooper. Rosen played with Goodman, losing 8-5 against Leucke and senior Yvonne Hubler. Satterfield and Harding finished out the doubles division playing third position and losing 8-1 against Plancha and freshman Sophie Cloessner.
Goodman and Harding were the only Eagles to pull off wins. Goodman defeated Cooper 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 and Harding defeated sophomore Valeria Koussenkova 6-4, 2-6, 6-2.
“I want to commend Melissa Goodman,” Head Coach Amy Bryant said. “She played really well especially after an injury.”
Even though the match against Division I Charleston Southern went poorly score-wise, the team was happy with their performance.
“I think playing against Division I is better,” Rosen said. “It really makes us play our best game. They are way more aggressive and we have to play better to combat that.”
Over spring break, the team will travel to the West Coast to play against several strong Division III teams, with the first match on March 9 at 7 p.m. against Pomona-Pitzer Colleges (Calif.).
— Contact Jacob Spitzer, Staff Writer
Tennis Tops NAIA Team, Falls to D-1 Squad
Junior Madison Gordon returns the ball. The Eagles had one win and one loss this past weekend | Courtesy of Emory Athletics
