March 13, 2006

Cullowhee, N.C. - Spending spring break on the road, the Western Carolina women's tennis team went 2-1 last week, recording their first win of the season at Hilton Head, S.C., over Northern Kentucky and sweeping Savannah State in Georgia to improve its record to 2-8 on the season.

In the first of three matches during the break, the Catamounts dropped the doubles point but rallied to win all four contested singles matches to edge Northern Kentucky, 4-3, to score their first victory of the 2005-06 season. Sophomore Trish Hanson nearly swept through her bout at number one, winning 6-0 and 6-1 over NKU's Laura Leutzinger. Freshman Holly Stocks won at the fourth singles position by the same scores over Stephanie Alcorn. Second-year player, Susanna Sjokvist tied the match with a 6-3, 6-1 win and her classmate, Mariona Trilla Jane, dropped her first set, 6-3, but rallied to give WCU the match win with victories of 6-1 and 6-3.

WCU could not carry the positive momentum over into the second match in Hilton Head, falling 7-0 to the Purple Aces of Evansville. The Catamounts did, however, put up a fight as the tandem of Hanson and Trilla Jane battled hard before falling 8-3 at number one singles, with Stocks and Sjokvist falling in a tie-breaker, 9-8 (4) in the second flight of doubles.

Evansville won all four contested singles matches, but needed tie-breakers to defeat Hanson and Sjokvist at numbers one and two.

On Wednesday, the Catamounts swept both doubles and all four contested singles matches to blank Savannah State, 5-0. Hanson earned her team-best fourth singles victory of the season against the Tigers, sweeping number one 6-0, 6-0. Her teammates, Sjokvist at number two and Trilla Jane at the third flight, duplicated Hanson's wins in straight sets, while Stocks earned the singles victory at number four, 6-1, 6-2.

The Catamounts return to action on Saturday, March 18 when they visit Davidson for a 1:00 pm match with the Wildcats.

Weekend Agate Scores:
Western Carolina 4, Northern Kentucky 3
Hilton Head, S.C. - Monday, March 6
Doubles
1. Leutzinger/Alcorn (NKU) def. Hanson/Trilla Jane (WCU), 9-7
2. A. Dorado/C. Dorado (NKU) def. Stocks/Sjokvist (WCU), 8-1
3. NKU won by default
Singles
1. Trish Hanson (WCU) def. Laura Leutzinger (NKU) 6-0, 6-1
2. Susanna Sjokvist (WCU) def. Ana Dorado (NKU) 6-3, 6-1
3. Mariona Trilla Jane (WCU) def. Clara Dorado (NKU) 3-6, 6-1, 6-3
4. Holly Stocks (WCU) def. Stephanie Alcorn (NKU) 6-0, 6-1
5. NKU won by default
6. NKU won by default

Evansville 7, Western Carolina 0
Hilton Head, S.C. - Tuesday, March 7
Doubles
1. Hanson/Trilla Jane (WCU) def. E. Krodel/A. Krodel (UE), 8-3
2. Millis/Petty (UE) def. Stocks/Sjokvist (WCU), 9-8 (4)
3. UE won by default
Singles
1. Sara Wilhoite (UE) def. Trish Hanson (WCU) 6-1, 1-6, (10-5)
2. Beth Peyton (UE) def. Susanna Sjokvist (WCU) 6-2, 7-5 (10-6)
3. Lisa Kawamoto (UE) def. Mariona Trilla Jane (WCU) 6-2, 6-2
4. Allie Cox (UE) def. Holly Stocks (WCU) 6-0, 6-0
5. UE won by default
6. UE won by default

Western Carolina 5, Savannah State 0
Savannah, Ga. - Wednesday, March 8
Doubles
1. Hanson/Trilla Jane (WCU) def. Lashley/Modeste (SSU), 8-1
2. Stocks/Sjokvist (WCU) def. Palmer/Bridges (SSU), 8-2
3. Did not play
Singles
1. Trish Hanson (WCU) def. N. Lashley (SSU) 6-0, 6-0
2. Susanna Sjokvist (WCU) def. Tracey Modeste (SSU) 6-0, 6-0
3. Mariona Trilla Jane (WCU) def. Angela Palmer (SSU) 6-0, 6-0
4. Holly Stocks (WCU) def. Chantashia Bridges (SSU) 6-1, 6-2
5. Did not play
6. Did not play