JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn.—The Carson-Newman women's tennis team will compete in its final match of the season when the Eagles travel to Bristol, Tenn. to take on the King Tornado Sunday beginning at 2:00 p.m.
The match will also serve as the final time seniors Patricia Guerreiro (Fernao-Ferro, Portugal), Brooke Sanderson (Evans, Ga.) and Haleigh Chastain (Knoxville, Tenn.) will dote the orange and blue as the trio will graduate from the program following the day's actions.
The Eagles (13-6) enter the contest coming off a heart-breaking 6-3 loss to Tusculum on April 12 in the squad's final South Atlantic Conference match of the season. Prior to the defeat against the Pioneers, Carson-Newman was set down 9-0 by Queens on April 9.
In order to send the team's three seniors out with a victory, C-N must put the aforementioned losses in the rearview and try to limit unforced errors as the team matches up against King (6-13) on Sunday.
The Tornado owns a 3-6 record in the Conference Carolinas and won its last outing of the season against Emmanuel (Ga.) 5-4 on April 10. The team started the spring season off with five-straight losses and didn't record a win from Jan. 31 to Feb. 27.
Led by second-year coach Maria Ilina, King sports four juniors, two sophomores and two true freshman on the roster this season. Alyssa Salazar leads the way for the Tornado with a 10-8 singles record competing in the fourth-slot in the lineup.
Guerreiro has competed in the top part of the lineup since the Fernao-Fernao, Portugal native arrived on campus in the fall of 2012. The senior has tallied 11 wins on the season and started the season off with a 10-0 record before being forced to retire due to injury in a match against Anderson on March 25.
A South Atlantic Conference Honorable Mention a season ago because of her part in doubles play with former Eagle Jennifer Ott, Guerreiro has a chance to tally her 40th career singles victory on Sunday.
Sanderson has also seen action atop of coach Love's lineup card throughout her four-year career as well as the Evans, Ga. native has competed in all six spots during her time in Mossy Creek. The senior's best year came in her rookie season back in the spring of 2013 with 11 singles wins and Sanderson will cap off her tenure at C-N with over 35 wins in singles play.
Carson-Newman's final senior, Chastain, will have the opportunity to win her 25th singles contest against the Tornado on Sunday afternoon. The Knoxville, Tenn. native has spent the majority of her career in the back-end of the singles lineup but has stepped in to the top-three spots when her name has been called. Chastain has also accumulated 16 wins in doubles play during her time at C-N.
The last time these two squads faced off was on April 16, 2014 where the Eagles won 8-1.
"The King matchis the last match of the season for us and the lineups have not been set yet," coach Jean Love said. "There is a good chance that some of the players who have not played much this season will get some court time for some live action. Whatever lineups we put on the courts, it will be a good day of tennis."
A full recap following Sunday's contest against King can be found on cneagles.com at the conclusion of the match.
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