Wingate, Mars Hill Advance To Food Lion SAC Women’s Tennis Tournament Championship

ROCK HILL, S.C. - Top seed Wingate University remained undefeated in South Atlantic Conference play as they topped no. 5 Anderson University at the Rock Hill Tennis Center on Thursday afternoon, 5-3.

Anderson held the 2-1 advantage after doubles action as Avery Owens and Lauren Trumbull teamed up to defeat Ali Evers and Samantha Alschlager 8-6 on court No. 2 and Camie Beaulieu-Brunet and Emily Weiland topped Kara Stasikelis and Kelli Ferguson on court No. 1, 8-6, to give the Trojans the first two points of the match.

Wingate rallied back on court No. 3 as Morgan Winston and Olivia Poole defeated Shelby Anderson and Julie Halbert, 8-6, to put the Bulldogs on the board.

Beaulieu-Brunet jumped ahead in the first set on court No. 1, topping Stasikelis 6-2, but Stasikelis rallied back, taking the next two sets 6-1, 6-1 to even the match at two apiece. Poole put the Bulldogs ahead with her three set 3-6, 6-0, 6-1 victory over Trumbull on court No. 4 and Morgan Winston put the Bulldogs within one match of clinching the win with her 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 win on court No. 3.

Avery Owens kept Anderson within reach, topping Evers on court No. 2 in a hard-fought 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 win, setting the table for the final two matches of the evening.

Ferguson and Anderson put on a clinic on court No. 5 in one of the longest matches of the day, with Ferguson taking the first set 6-3. The duo battled throughout the second set as the sun set over the horizon and the lights turned on the courts at the Rock Hill Tennis Center, heading into the tiebreaker before Ferguson clinched the victory with the 7-5 (9-7) set win.

Wingate's Olivia Poole rallied to defeat Lauren Trumbull at No. 4 singles.

The Bulldogs advance to the 2011 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Championship match Friday afternoon and will take on No. 2 seed Mars Hill College, with a berth in the NCAA Regional Tournament on the line. First serve in doubles competition for the championship match is set for noon.

Singles competition
1. Kara Stasikelis (WIN) def. Camie Beaulieu-Brune (AUW) 2-6, 6-1, 6-1
2. Avery Owens (AUW) def. Ali Evers (WIN) 6-4, 2-6, 6-4
3. Morgan Winston (WIN) def. Julie Halbert (AUW) 6-4, 3-6, 6-2
4. Olivia Poole (WIN) def. Lauren Trumbull (AUW) 3-6, 6-0, 6-1
5. Kelli Ferguson (WIN) def. Shelby Anderson (AUW) 6-3, 7-6 (9-7)
6. Emily Weiland (AUW) def. Helen Goreski (WIN) 6-1, 1-1 (Unfinished)

Doubles competition
1. Camie Beaulieu-Brune/Emily Weiland (AUW) def. Kara Stasikelis/Kelli Ferguson (WIN) 8-6
2. Avery Owens/Lauren Trumbull (AUW) def. Ali Evers/Samantha Alschlager (WIN) 8-6
3. Morgan Winston/Olivia Poole (WIN) def. Shelby Anderson/Julie Halbert (AUW) 8-6

Match Notes
#5 Anderson 12-8
#1 Wingate 20-1
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (1,4,3,2,5)
2011 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Semifinals
#1 Wingate advances to SAC Championship match Friday afternoon at noon.
Will take on #2 Mars Hill at the Rock Hill Tennis Center

Mars Hill 5, Brevard 1

ROCK HILL, S.C. - The No. 2 seed Mars Hill Lions took two of the three doubles matches and won on courts 1, 4 and 5 en route to defeating the No. 3 seed Brevard College Tornados, 5-1, and advancing to the 2011 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Championship match.

Tatiana Dualiby and Jacqueline Rouquet put the Lions on the board first, topping Claire Dillman and Michelle Prata on court no. 2 in doubles play, 8-5, to give Mars Hill the early advantage.

Lindsay Hostetter and Lindsay Shaeffer tied the match up with their 8-5 victory on court No. 1, defeating Erika Pinate and Anna Rickenbaker, but Ona Jane and Mary Nelson sent the Lions into singles play with their 8-5 victory on court No. 3 over Jennifer Nyman and Elise Labus.

In singles action, Rouquet tallied the first point, defeating Nyman on court No. 5, 6-4, 6-2. Pinate, the SAC Player of the Year, continued to remain undefeated in conference action, topping Shaeffer 6-3, 6-2 on court No. 1 to put Mars Hill one victory away from the victory.

Rickenbacker finished moments later, topping Prata on court No. 4, 6-4, 6-3 to end the match.

The Tornados season likely ends at 15-8, while Mars Hill improves to 11-5. The Lions advance to the 2011 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Championship match, scheduled to begin Friday at noon. The Lions will faceoff against top seed Wingate University.

Singles competition
1. Erika Pinate (MHCW) def. Lindsay Shaeffer (BCW) 6-3, 6-2
2. Tatiana Dualiby (MHCW) vs. Lindsay Hostetter (BCW) 6-3, 4-3, unfinished
3. Ona Jane (MHCW) vs. Claire Dillman (BCW) 4-6, 6-2, unfinished
4. Anna Rickenbaker (MHCW) def. Michelle Prata (BCW) 6-4, 6-3
5. Jacqueline Rouquet (MHCW) def. Jennifer Nyman (BCW) 6-4, 6-2
6. Mary Nelson (MHCW) vs. Elise Labus (BCW) unfinished

Doubles competition
1. Lindsay Hostetter/Lindsay Shaeffer (BCW) def. Erika Pinate/Anna Rickenbaker (MHCW) 8-5
2. Tatiana Dualiby/Jacqueline Rouquet (MHCW) def. Claire Dillman/Michelle Prata (BCW) 8-5
3. Ona Jane/Mary Nelson (MHCW) def. Jennifer Nyman/Elise Labus (BCW) 8-5

Match Notes
#3 Brevard College 15-8
#2 Mars Hill 11-5
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (5,1,4)
2011 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Tournament Semifinals
#2 Mars Hill advances to the Championship match scheduled for tomorrow at 12 pm