JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – After falling in their season opener, Carson-Newman women's tennis looks to right the ship as they take on the Young Harris Mountain Lions and Lees-McRae Bobcats Friday and Saturday. Friday will take place from the metropolis of Harrogate, Tenn. before the Eagles head back to the Knoxville Racquet Club on Saturday.
"It was good to get out, compete, and have the season get started. We know how good this team can be and playing matches like last weekend and what is ahead of us this weekend will prepare us for later on in conference action," Natasha Forrest said. "It was a unique experience for us to start the year off with a top-tier program like North Georgia. Last season, we had a couple matches under our belt before we faced UNG, but to start off the year with them helps us to now be ready for almost anyone."
Carson-Newman (0-1, 0-0 SAC) comes into this week's matchups after a tough season opening loss to the number 18 ranked Nighthawks of North Georgia on Sunday. The Eagles started off on the right track as they took two of the three doubles matches and gained the early 1-0 point advantage. Senior Ana Carla Resende (Minas Gerais, Brazil) and freshman Maria Ulloa (Cuba) paired up to take on UNG's Markvartova/Villanueva, taking the 6-4 result and setting a decisive match in number three doubles.
C-N stepped up once more as Violetta Khisamova (Yaroslavl, Russia) and Julia Speiser gave early momentum to the Eagles. The duo would battle back-and-forth, ultimately taking home a 7-5 victory and giving C-N the doubles point.
"Doubles for the women were very strong and Maria was able to fully step in and replace Summer for the day," graduate coach Gabriel Dabdab said.
Then, in singles action, Natasha Forrest, got the only other C-N point from Sunday's action. She would be in action from the number four singles position as she would finish first out of all matches, taking the 6-3, 6-0 result and giving C-N the 2-0 advantage.
SCOUTING YOUNG HARRIS
The Eagles and Mountain Lions squared off against each other last March, which saw C-N secure a rather comfortable decision as they won all matches in near dominating fashion. The Eagles met the Young Harris Mountain Lions as C-N secured its second sweep in three matches, defeating the Lions 7-0.
The doubles point came to C-N after the Eagles won both matches that took place, as Young Harris only had enough athletes for two matches and thus, forfeited one of the three doubles matches.
As singles play started, the Eagles had no trouble continuing their momentum and winning every single matchup by a comfortable margin, except one.
The only "close" Eagles matchup came when Summer Reeves battled herself to victory by a 7-5, 7-5 margin which not only added to her resume but made sure the Eagles shut out the Lions in all matches.
"Girls were just too good and did not lose a single set," head coach Jim Frederick said.
Young Harris opened up their 2022 spring campaign last weekend with a dominant 7-0 sweep over Piedmont University from the Bob & Gayle Nichols Tennis Complex. The win pushed YHC to 2-0 on the season, as they would win five of the six singles matches in straight sets. Meghna Mallath would have to rally from number two singles after dropping the first set. She went on to win the second set in a tiebreaker before securing the final effort in the super tiebreaker and making it 7-0 YHC.
SCOUTING LEES-MCRAE
Carson-Newman has not gone one-on-one with the Bobcats of Lees-McRae in over a decade as the two programs have only met one previous time, coming in March 2011. On that day, it would be the hometown Eagles almost coming away with a clean sweep, but still pulling out the 8-1 team victory in the lone series matchup.
On that day, Carson-Newman got off to a fast start by sweeping the doubles matches, and then won five of the six singles matches to secure the victory. The Lady Eagles were led by senior Taryn Cappadona, who recorded the win at no. 1 doubles with Stefy Stand and no. 2 singles.
Other winners for C-N were Stand at No. 3 singles, freshman Katie Brown at no. 2 doubles and no. 4 singles, sophomore Megan Wilson at no. 2 doubles and no. 6 singles, senior Stephanie Goode at no. 3 doubles and no. 5 singles and junior Kate Walker at no. 3 doubles.
So far in 2022, Lees-McRae has not fared too well as they have started the year 0-2 with losses against Division I foe, UNC Asheville, and fellow SAC rival of C-N's, nationally-ranked Wingate.
It was Bulldogs versus Bobcats last weekend as Wingate took no mercy on the visiting Bobcats, winning 6-1 as they won two of three doubles and all but one singles match. Bobcat freshman Rhidaim Yang won her first singles match for Lees-McRae.
In their season opener against UNC Asheville, it was the Bulldogs clinching the doubles point and sweeping the Bobcats singles en route to a 6-0 win.
Before heading to Knoxville on Saturday, the Bobcats were in action this last Wednesday against Lander. The Bobcats saw Nursharneem Shamsuddin and Rhidaim Yang pick up a doubles win, but it was not enough as Lees-McRae would drop a 7-0 loss to Lander and move to 0-3 this season.
Opening serve from Harrogate is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. between the Eagles and Mountain Lions Friday. Meanwhile, the Eagles and Bobcats are set to square off starting at 2:00 p.m. Saturday from the Knoxville Racquet Club.
Be sure to keep up with all things Carson-Newman men's tennis at cneagles.com and on social media on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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