RICHMOND, Ky. - Abilene Christian's sixth-ranked women's tennis team finished its weekend road trip to Kentucky and Tennessee with a 3-1 record after falling, 4-3, to DI Eastern Kentucky of the Ohio Valley Conference Saturday evening.
The Colonels' Saioa Oscoz clinched the match with a win at No. 5 singles, defeating
Hannah Kelley, 6-2, 6-2.
"EKU was picked as one of the top teams in the OVC, so I see this match as giving our young team some invaluable experience," head coach
Hutton Jones said. "We're in the process right now of cultivating toughness, and it was nice to see everyone really stepping up without the services of our No. 1,
Julia Mongin."
ACU scored a doubles victory from its nationally ranked tandem of Kelly and
Micah Hermsdorf, which beat Milena Poffo and Kristina Labeja at No. 1, 8-3. But
Laura Mongin and
Brittney Reed were edged at No. 2 by Oscoz and Amandine Faouzi, 8-6, and the team of
Emily Conrad and
Madelyn Walker was doubled up at No. 3 by Melissa Gerritsen and Carmen Rodriguez, 8-4.
EKU took a 3-0 lead after winning the first two singles matches at the No. 2 and 1 positions, as Labeja def. No. 33 Reed, 6-4, 6-3, and Faouzi outlasted No. 13 Hermsdorf 7-5, 6-2.
ACU then won the next two singles points to make it a 3-2 match with Conrad beating Poffo 6-4, 6-4, and
Laura Mongin rallying from a set down to beat Gerritsen 2-6, 6-4, 6-2.
Following Kelley's match-clinching loss to Oscoz at No. 5,
Felicity Delgado responded with a win at No. 6, topping Rodriguez, 2-6, 7-5, (10-8).
Saturday's loss dropped ACU's record to 8-2. The Wildcats return home next week Friday for matches against Incarnate Word and Tarleton State, followed by a Saturday dual vs. Rollins.
Eastern Kentucky 4, #6 Abilene Christian 3
Singles
1. Amandine Faouzi (EKU) def. #13
Micah Hermsdorf (ACU) 7-5, 6-2
2. Kristina Labeja (EKU) def. #33
Brittney Reed (ACU) 6-4, 6-3
3.
Laura Mongin (ACU) def. Melissa Gerritsen (EKU) 2-6, 6-4, 6-2
4.
Emily Conrad (ACU) def. Milena Poffo (EKU) 6-4, 6-4
5. Saioa Oscoz (EKU) def.
Hannah Kelley (ACU) 6-2, 6-2
6.
Felicity Delgado (ACU) def. Carmen Rodriguez (EKU) 2-6, 7-5, (10-8)
Doubles
1. #4 Hermsdorf/Kelley (ACU) def. Labeja/Poffo (EKU) 8-3
2. Faouzi/Oscoz (EKU) def. LMongin/Reed (ACU) 8-6
3. Gerritsen/Rodriguez (EKU) def. Conrad/Walker (ACU) 8-4
Match Notes: Eastern Kentucky (6-3); Abilene Christian (8-2)
Order of Finish: Doubles (2, 1, 3); Singles (2, 1, 4, 3, 5*, 6)
