MOORESVILLE, N.C. – Carson-Newman (12-6, 8-4 SAC) wrapped up their 2021 regular season on Saturday with a 6-1 victory over the Catawba College Catawba Indians from the Johnson Tennis Center. With the result, C-N ends the season on a five-match win streak including an upset of #18 Queens on April 3 and their first win against the Tusculum Pioneers in 12 years on April 9.
For the second straight match, C-N gathered the valuable doubles point and early 1-0 match advantage on Saturday. The highlight of doubles came from number two doubles and the pairing of senior Hannah Price (Knoxville, Tenn.) and sophomore Natasha Forrest (Jersey, United Kingdom). The duo collected their 10th win in SAC doubles play and 15th overall doubles win for 2021 as they started their day off with a 6-2 result. With their 15th win on the year, the duo has tied Patricia Guerrerio and Jennifer Ott's 2015 program record of 15 wins in a singles season. So far this year, the Eagles leading pair have secured an overall record of 15-3, which places them with the second-highest winning percentage in doubles at 0.833.
"This pair has had a special season and should receive All-SAC honors next week," head coach Jim Frederick said. "It was important for us to finish strong."
In other doubles action, junior Ana Carla Resende (Minas Gerais, Brazil) and senior Abby Reis (Des Moines, IA) were victorious in number one action as they won 6-3. As the duo heads into SAC Tournament action next week, they finish 7-5 against SAC opponents in doubles and with an overall record of 10-8.
The number three doubles action was once again compiled of the freshman duo of Summer Reeves (Maidstone, Kent, England) and Julia Speiser. The duo saw a 6-1 decision fall in their favor which gives them the team's second highest doubles at 11-5 overall and 7-4 against SAC foes.
Singles action was all about the Eagles as they continued their early momentum to win five of the six matches and secure the victory. The #46 singles player in Division II women's tennis, Resende, kept her winning streak alive as she won five straight against SAC opponents to finish her regular season. Saturday was an easy 6-0, 6-1 result for Resende to push her career record as an Eagle to 34-10 all-time. Resende also improved her team lead in singles action as she heads into the SAC Tournament with a 11-1 mark when facing SAC foes and an overall record of 14-4.
Price found a way to finish her 2021 regular season on the right foot. After falling in her match against Tusculum, the Knoxville native finished her match on Saturday as the 6-2, 3-6, 7-5 winner and notch her seventh SAC singles victory. For her regular season, Price finishes second on the team in singles action as she is 12-6 overall and 7-5 in SAC matches.
For the first time since March 30 in a match versus Mars Hill, the Eagles saw their trio of freshman all collect singles victories. Freshman Violetta Khisamova (Yaroslavl, Russia) saw another match from her designated number two singles slot. The freshman finished her regular season 5-6 against the SAC after securing a 6-4, 6-1 result on Saturday. Khisamova was one match shy of getting to .500 as her overall record is 8-9 heading into next week's tournament.
Reeves notched her match streak to two straight wins with her 6-4, 7-5 decision on Saturday. As her first regular season in Mossy Creek wrapped up, the freshman came in tied for the third most overall wins on the team with Forrest, as both finished 10-7 while Reeves finishes 6-5 in SAC singles.
Finally, Speiser has played 14 of her 16 singles matches in 2021 from the number six spot. After Saturday's 6-1, 6-1 domination, the freshman is 7-7 from number six singles, 6-5 when playing SAC opposition, and 9-7 overall.
The other Eagle to sadly not be on the winning side of the net Saturday in singles was Forrest, who played from the number five singles position. She battled and clawed all three sets on Saturday but was unable to win as her Indians foe took home a 6-1, 5-7, 10-6 victory. Overall, Forrest finished her second regular season as an Eagle with a 10-7 mark overall and 7-5 in SAC singles. Of her 16 matches, Forrest played nine from number five (9-7 overall) with one match from number four singles, winning that match.
The Eagles will be back in action as they begin their quest in the 2021 SAC Tennis Tournament next week in Fort Sumter, S.C. Matches begin on Thursday, April 15th at 9 a.m. with the top eight teams in the SAC standings qualifying for matches.
Be sure to keep up with all things Carson-Newman women's tennis at cneagles.com and via all social media accounts.
-CN-
