Box Score April 9, 2005
Cullowhee, N.C. -
The Catamount women's tennis team received a pair of wins by senior Kristin Cotton in both doubles and singles competition, but could not capitalize as Western Carolina fell to the Elon Phoenix, 5-2, Saturday afternoon in Southern Conference action.
The day started with Western (4-13, 0-8 SoCon) picking up wins in two of the first three games versus the Phoenix. In the first flight, Tricia Hanson and Katherine Ptak took a quick 1-0 lead over the Phoenix (8-10, 3-7 SoCon) duo of Evin Prelec and Kelly Fleck, breaking their opening serve. Yet, the Elon pair rallied to win six-consecutive games to take the 6-1 advantage. Hanson and Ptak recovered to take the eighth game, but dropped the final two for the score of 8-2.
At number two, the Catamount tandem of Cotton and freshman Ashley Harris raced out to a 6-1 lead on Elon's Elizabeth Kernodle and Melissa Holland before finishing off the game 8-3 to even things up in doubles competition at one apiece. The victory was WCU's first in the conference in doubles play.
Western lost the double's point when the number three team of April Yount and Susanna Sjokvist could not rally, falling 8-1.
In single's competition, Cotton capitalized on her momentum to take the first set, 6-4. Yet, her opponent, Elon's Kernodle, rallied to win the second, 7-6, to force a third set. In the deciding frame, Cotton pulled out the victory, 10-3, to earn her team-leading second SoCon victory of the season.
Also securing a win for the Catamounts on Saturday afternoon was Tricia Hanson. The freshman dropped the first set to Phoenix sophomore Prelec, 7-5, before rallying to take the second two by the same score, 6-4. The win was her first-ever in conference play at the number one slot and her sixth-career win.
Hanson's classmate, Ashley Harris, nearly scored a third point for the Cats on the day, taking Elon's Melissa Holland the distance before bowing out. Harris dropped the first set, 6-3, but rallied in the second to win 6-4. Holland pulled away in the third, taking the win by the final tally of 6-2.
Western's number five player, Sjokvist, battled hard before falling to Elon's Molly Cade, playing in her first match of the day, 6-4 and 6-3. Ptak and Yount each dropped their singles matches, playing at number two and six, respectively.
Western returns home on Sunday to continue the current three-game home stand as it hosts the Georgia Southern Eagles on The Courts at Reid Gym. The match time was moved up to 11:00 am on Sunday morning.
Elon 5, Western Carolina 2
Cullowhee, NC - Saturday, April 9, 2005
Doubles
1. Prelec/Fleck (Elon) def. Hanson/Ptak (WCU), 8-3
2. Cotton/Harris (WCU) def. Kernodle/Holland, 8-2
3. Pulupa/Benton (Elon) def. Sjokvist/Yount (WCU), 8-1
Singles
1. Tricia Hanson (WCU) def. Evin Prelec (Elon) 5-7, 6-4, 6-4
2. Kelly Fleck (Elon) def. Katherine Ptak (WCU) 6-2, 6-1
3. Kristin Cotton (WCU) def. Elizabeth Kernoble (Elon) 6-4, 6-7 (6), 10-3
4. Melissa Holland (Elon) def. Ashley Harris (WCU) 6-3, 4-6, 6-2
5. Molly Cade (Elon) def. Susanna Sjokvist (WCU) 6-4, 6-3
6. Diana Pulupa (Elon) def. April Yount (WCU) 6-0, 6-0
Elon: 8-10, 3-7 SoCon
Western Carolina: 4-13, 0-8 SoCon
