VIDEO: Jim Frederick Recaps Wingate Invitational
Wingate, N.C. – Hannah Price and Ana Carla Resende both defeated nationally-ranked opponents in their singles matches en route to a successful season debut for the Carson-Newman women's tennis team at the Wingate Invitational.
Price (Knoxville, TN) took down No. 58 Elena Bompieri of Wingate 4-6, 6-1, 1-0 after she triumphed over Lenoir-Rhyne's Alexandra Garofoli 6-4, 2-6, 1-0. The junior's hot streak then came to an end in a defeat to sophomore Chyi Lee of Wingate 2-5, 7-5, 1-0, a battle in which Price lost a match point.
"I think the thing Hannah realized from this week is she can play with these better players," tennis coach Jim Frederick said. "She still has to keep her foot on the gas the whole match which she sometimes doesn't do but she's physically good enough to play with these players."
After losing to freshman Camilla Ciaccia of Wingate in a third-set tiebreaker, Resende roared back to defeat nationally-ranked Sophie Hirsch in straight sets 6-1, 6-4.
"She lost a match in the first round that she probably should not have lost," Frederick said. "Good player but Ana is a better player… I think every match she plays she gets a little more match tough and that's the biggest thing."
Senior Klara Vuckovic (Germany) won two of her three matches, starting with a victory over Lander's Kylee Ramsey via third-set tiebreaker. She then split two matches with Crusaders of Belmont Abbey College as she bested Blair Boatright in dominant fashion 6-1, 6-0 but lost to Sylvia Goldsmith 6-2, 6-2.
Alisa Liashova (Ukraine) was the only winless Eagle at Wingate in singles competition, with straight-set losses at the hands of Lenoir-Rhyne's Nadja Straehle and Madelyn Schott, another Crusader.
Price and Resende continued their winning ways in doubles play with a victory over Schott and Kayla Vaughan 6-3. The duo then outplayed freshman Laura Seib and sophomore Erica Dorn, also of Belmont Abbey College.
Liashova and Vuckovic finished with a clean slate in doubles as well after beating Goldsmith and Carlie Davis 6-2 and following that up with a 6-4 victory over Catawba's Charisma Nuqui and Olivia Wooldridge.
"Everyone won at least one match in either singles or doubles," Frederick said. "The biggest thing going forward is winning close matches."
The Carson-Newman women's tennis team is back in action on Friday, Sept. 27 at 9 a.m. at the ITA Regionals in Sumpter, S.C. You can keep up with all of the action on C-N's social media platforms.
