March 12, 2005

Cullowhee, N.C. - Senior Kristin Cotton secured the Catamounts' only singles victory of the afternoon as Western Carolina dropped its Southern Conference opener, 6-1, to the visiting UNC Greensboro Spartans Saturday on the Courts at Reid Gymnasium.

Cotton, playing in the number three slot for the Cats', defeated the Spartans' Emily Wade 6-2, 6-1 to improve her singles record to a team-leading 6-2 on the season. At the top, freshman Trish Hanson pushed UNCG frosh Lisa Suggs to the limit in the first set, with Suggs eking out a win, 7-5, while dropping the deciding set, 6-1.

Hanson's classmate, Ashley Harris dropped her first set, 6-2, but rallied in the second against her freshman counterpart Erica Zabkar before bowing out, 7-5.

The Catamounts (3-6, 0-1 SoCon) opened the day falling in each of the three doubles matches that were contested. Cotton and Harris teamed to fight to the wire in the number two position before falling, 8-7, to UNCG's team of Rychlik/Lacoste.

Western Carolina concludes its current four-game home stand on Sunday afternoon, hosting the Davidson Wildcats in a Southern Conference match at 12 Noon on the Courts at Reid Gym.

UNC Greensboro 6, Western Carolina 1
Cullowhee, NC - Saturday, March 12, 2005

Doubles
1. Suggs/Zabkar (UNCG) d. Hanson/Ptak (WCU), 8-4
2. Rychlik/Lacoste (UNCG) d. Cotton/Harris (WCU), 8-7
3. Wade/Miles (UNCG) d. Yount/Sjokvist (WCU), 8-3

Singles
1. Lisa Suggs (UNCG) d. Trish Hanson (WCU), 7-5, 6-1
2. Whitney Miles (UNCG) d. Katherine Ptak (WCU), 6-2, 6-2
3. Kristin Cotton (WCU) d. Emily Wade (UNCG), 6-2, 6-1
4. Erica Zabkar (UNCG) d. Ashley Harris (WCU), 6-2, 7-5
5. Kate Lacoste (UNCG) d. Susanna Sjokvist (WCU), 6-0, 6-2
6. Sophie Rychlik (UNCG) d. April Yount (WCU), 6-0, 6-0

Records
Western Carolina - 3-6 overall, 0-1 SoCon
UNC Greensboro - 4-6 overall, 1-2 SoCon