Sept 16 - @ Mt Tabor

MT Tabor has been the Cowgirl’s nemesis for the last two seasons in women’s tennis.  Last year the ladies drew close in singles (3-3) but were unable to convert in dubs. The Cowgirls went into tonight’s match down three of our original top 6 players.  This should be interesting.

The first bit of favor found for the Cowgirls was Mt Tabor #1 was out for injury.  Though our collective heart goes out to Alex for a speedy recovery, all in all, concerning the line up, this would force the Spartans to play up thus spreading their talent across the line-up.

Audrey

Meghan

Lanie

Nicole (Early College)

Tran

Maggie (Early College)

Honestly, Alex and Audrey have history at GTP (Greensboro Tennis Program).  Alex is a senior, ranked in the state and the south coach believes, and is quite a complete player.  So that Alex couldn’t play Audrey, unless their #2 was a very high caliber, Court1 should be secured.

And it was.  Audrey wasted little time roping the Spartan to play her game.  Hitting her stride, Audrey walked away with it 6-3, 6-0.

Meghan played a talented but still burgeoning player.  Once Meghan settled in her game and tennis mind, she was able to better move to the ball and hit her shots.  The Spartan held on, but Meghan was able to break in both sets and won 6-3, 6-3.

Lanie’s first set seemed well in hand until her opponent changed up her game and caused Lanie a bit of a pause.  In talking with Coach, Lanie was able to see the actions and steps required to win. And this she did. 6-4, 6-2.

Maggie (court 6) had a time with young Ms/. Pollard from Mt Tabor.  Maggie was never able to get into a groove with her hitting and ending up losing 2 and 2.

Tran, Court 5, had her girl on the ropes before the second serve was dropped.  Ms. Madan played hard, hit aggressive and deep, and was still little concern for Tran and her deftly placed shots.  Tran mirrors Lanie a lot in her hitting. Deep corners and shallow angle gave her the win tonight. 6-2, 6-2.

Now for the longest match of the evening coming in at 2 hrs 46 mins.  Nicole.

Nicole had a marathon match last week in our victory over Wesleyan.  In that one, Nicole held the first set, lost the second, and all but had the 3rd set super tiebreaker (race to 10) losing at the end 8-10 in the third.  It was a good match. Sad she didn’t win, but wow! What a match!

Tonight’s game didn’t look to be going in our direction at first, Nicole starting off 1-4 down in the first.  But she turned the tide holding, breaking, serving, holding, serving to go up 5-4. Mt Tabor held her serve - 5-5.  Serves traded, 6-6.

But in uncharted waters, the Sartan raised her game and swept Nicole in the tiebreaker.

Down a set, served traded throughout the second set, Maggie finally able to get the break and the victory 7-5. 

So into a 3rd set (10 pt tiebreaker they went).  Both sides exhausted, Nicole tried to muster the final push, but only managed to score 4 times in her loss in an incredibly even matched contest.

Please understand Nicole’s match went on so long, not only did ALL of the singles already come off, the #1 and #2 dubs had already finished before they stopped playing their singles.  Needless to say Nicle didn’t participate in dubs tonight. Coach showed his ambivalence and graced Nicole with a bit of rest.  

And those two dubs matches.  We won those too.

Serb/Whalen hadd little issue pulling out a lead and victory 8-3 while Van Dorp/Nguyen took a bit more time but found their game in their 8-4 win over the Spartans.

For court dubs #3, Coach moved up Avery McCaskill and Lauren Hariis to take the court.  Due to the time of the night (pushing 8:20), coaches opted to play a 6 game set (pro-6).

Beginning strong, they won their first game.  Unfortunately, they didn’t continue strong and lost their serve and a break opportunity.

1-2

1-3

2-3

3-3

3-4

4-4

5-4

Unable to break serve, the Spartans evened it up 5-5.

Serving once more, the Cowgirls were unable to hold their serve but played an incredible game with apple action for all to see.

5-6

And try as they might, the Spartans could close out a match and took Court 3 7-5 over the Cowgirls.  Though a loss, these two Cowgirls proved their mettle in spades.

Audrey Serb (SW) over Meg Salt (MT) 6-3, 6-0

Meghan Whalen (SW) over Ella Rose (MT) 6-3, 6-3

Lanie Van Dorp (SW) over Madison RaBold (MT) 6-4, 6-2

Audrey Lloyd (MT) over Nicole Sopala(SW) 7-6 (7-0), 5-7, 10-4

2hr 46 min match

Tran Nguyen (SW) over Mony Madan (MT) 6-2, 6-2

Rebecca Pollard (MT) over Maggie Mugi (SW) 2-6, 2-6

Serb/Whalen (SW) over Salt/Pollard (MT) 8-3

Van Dorp/Nguyen (SW) over Rose/Madan (MT) 8-4

Mary Poyner York (MT) Chelsea Ivers (MT) over 

Avery McCaskill/Lauren Harris (SW) 6-4

Cowgirls over the Spartans in conference tennis action 6-3

Cowgirls finish out the evening 6-3 overall raising their record to 2-0 in conference and 8-0 on the season.

Cowgirls travel to NW on Wednesday for non-conference tennis action.